LIBRARY  ' 

OF 


THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 

Prom  the  collection  of 
Julius  Doerner,  Chicago 
Purchased,  1918. 

2.31  , 


J 


THE 


SAINTS'  INHEEITANCE; 


OB, 


THE  WORLD  TO  COME. 


HENRY    F.  HILL. 

GENE  SB  O,  N.  T. 


**Aiid  He  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold,  1  make  all  things  new." 

JB£v.  xxi  a. 


BIXTH  EDITION. 


BOSTON: 
DAMRELL  AND  MOORE,  PRINTERS, 
16  Devonshire  Street. 
1861. 


Entkred,  according  *o  Act  of  Gongretfi.  in  the  yeu  1852,  by 
HENRY  F.  HILL, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southerm  District  of  New  York 


231  ^ 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  EDITION. 


This  volume  originated  in  a  desire  of  awakening  a  lively  and 
more  devout  interest  in  the  study  of  the  Bible,  and  in  the 
fact  that  the  deeply  interesting  Bible  truths  made  prominent 
m  its  pages  are  now  generally  neglected,  and  in  a  great 
measure  lost  sight  of  by  the  church.  Yet  these  very  truths 
were,  in  ages  gone  by,  deemed  of  vital  importance  in  sustain- 
ing Christians  in  all  their  trials  and  persecutions.  These 
two  are  deemed  sufficient  reasons  for  bringing  this  work 
before  the  public. 

The  doctrine  that  this  earth,  instead  of  being  annihilated, 
will,  at  the  great  consummation,  be  restored  to  its  Eden 
state,  or  made  even  far  more  glorious,  and  become  the  resi- 
dence of  the  saints,  has  never  been  deemed  heresy  by  the 
church,  or  esteemed  even  by  its  opponents  an  essential  error. 
Though  this  doctrine  has  been  made  from  the  earliest  times, 
and,  in  every  age,  more  or  less  prominent,  yet,  because  of  its' 
present  neglect,  all  that  has  been  advanced  in  its  support  is 
carefully  proved  from  the  word  of  God.  This  is  the  reason 
for  the  frequent  quotations  from  the  Bible. 

If  the  reading  of  these  pages  remove  the  cause  of  the  com- 
plamt  of  a  want  of  interest  in  studying  the  Bible,  so  deeply  felt 
and  deplored  by  many  Christians,  the  labor  of  writing  them 
will  be  well  rewarded.  Should  there  be  such  an  interest 
awakened  as  to  induce  some  able  pen  to  do  the  subject  jus- 
tice, all  will  be  accomplished  that  can  be  desired  by  the 
I  s  ^  O  O     p  ^  ^TTifOR. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


This  volume  received  in  its  first  edition  so/avorable  notice 
from  many,  and  among  them  those  esteemed  men  of  the 
greatest  discernment,  learning,  and  piety,  that  the  author 
in  gratitude,  and  to  increase  its  value,  has  labored  to  secure 
as  many  corrections  as  the  existing  circumstances  of  the 
work  will  warrant.  The  rapid  sale  of  the  book  furnishes  an 
additional  reason  of  gratitude. 

To  enable  the  reader  to  compare  with  the  sentiments  of 
this  book  the  opinions  of  some  of  the  leading  men  in  the 
church,  there  has  been  added  another  chapter,  chiefly  of 
extracts  from  the  following  authors  :  The  late  Rev.  Edward 
D.  Griffin,  D.D.,  President  of  Williams  College ;  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Hitchcock,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  President  of  Amherst  College; 
Rev.  John  Pye  Smith,  D.D.,  Rev.  E.  W.  Hengstenburg,  D.D., 
Rev.  A.  Tholuck,  D.D.,  Professor  of  Theology  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Halle,  Germany ;  Rev.  George  Campbell,  D.D.,  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  Scotland ;  Rev.  John  Gill,  D.D.,  of 
the  Baptist  church,  England  ;  Wesley  and  JLuther.  In  the 
introductory  chapter  will  be  found  quotations  from  Chalmers, 
Cumming,  Calvin,  Knox,  and  Bunyan.  The  above  authors 
have  not  been  quoted  as  proof  of  the  doctrine  advocated, 
the  testimony  is  drawn  alone  from  the  word  of  God;  but 
that  the  reader  may  know,  in  these  days  of  isms^  that,  though 
the  sentiment  of  this  book  may  seem  new,  yet  it  is  not  the 
offshoot  of  some  modern  theology,  that  it  is  no  new  and 
unrecognised  idea,  but  a  doctrine  long  cherished  and  advo- 
cated in  the  church  by  theologians  eminent  for  deep-toned 
[)iety  and  profound  knowledge  of  religious  truth  as  developed 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  this  earth  when  renewed  will  be 
made  the  residence  of  King  Messiah  and  the  glorious  hom« 
>f  all  his  people. 


CONTENTS. 


Chap.  I.  Introductory,  1 

11.  The  Millennium,   20 

IIL  The  Millennium,  continued,   25 

IV.  Satan  Loosed — Gog  and  Magog,  ....  87 
V.  The  Preaching  of  Peace  a  Snare  to  the  Jewish 

Church,   60 

VL  The  Preaching  of  Peace  a  Snare  to  the  Chris- 
tian Church,   58 

VII.  The  Earth  Promised  to  Christ  as  a  Possession,  .  72 

VIII.  The  Location  of  the  Inheritance  of  the  Saints,  83 
*IX.  The  Second  Adam,   94 

X.  The  Earth  Renewed,   103 

XL  The  Two  Houses  of  Israel,   113 

XII.  The  Test  or  Standand  by  which  to  try  all  Re- 
ligious Teaching,  and  the  way  to  know  the 

T^th,   184 

Xni.  Christ  to  Reign  Personally  on  the  Earth,  .  148 
XIV.  When  Christ  Reigns  on  Earth  his  Subjects  will 

BE  Immortal,   15S 

XV.  Christ's  Reign  continued — his  Kingdom  to  be 

without  end,   16ft 

XVL  Infants  Lawful  Heirs  of  the  Inheritance,  .       .  17  9 

XVII.  Ministry  of  Angels,   19^ 

XVIIL  l^o  Covenants  or  Promises  to  Jews  more  than 

TO  Gentiles,   21$ 

yiY.  The  House  of  Mansions  above — the  Holy  Ciit 

TO  COME,   239 

XX.  Extracts  concerning  the  Final  Residence  of  the 

Saints    249 


THE 


SAINTS  INHERITANCE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

"Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth;  thy  word  is  truth." 

John  xviL  lY. 

The  glories  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints,  those 
great  things  in  reserve  for  the  people  of  God,  the 
annals  of  eternity  can  alone  fully  unfold/  Yet  God 
has  revealed  concerning  that  heavenly  kingdom 
much  more  than  is  generally  taught  or  believed ; 
and  whatever  he  has  been  pleased  to  make  known 
must  be  deeply  interesting  to  all  who  hope  to  have 
part  in  that  inheritance. 

The /Children  of  God  have  often  been  permitted 
to  climb  as  high,  morally,  to  view,  through  faith  in 
those  "  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises,'^  the 
glory  of  God  in  their  inheritance,  as  Moses  on 
Mount  Pisgah,  to  view  the  land  of  Canaan.  Those 
heavenly  promises  were  given  that  our  hearts  might 
be  sanctified  by  dwelling  on  them,  that  our  affections 
might  be  won  from  those  things  that  perish. 

"  But  as  it  is  written,  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 


8 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man, 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him." — 1  Cor.  ii.  9. 

This  text  is  sometimes  quoted  as  proof  that  nothing 
has  been  revealed  of  that  heavenly  state,  that  here 
we  have  no  conception  of  those  immortal  joys  ;  but 
the  context  shows  that  in  this  verse  the  Apostle  was 
speaking  of  the  natural  man,  and  the  following  verse 
teaches  the  very  opposite,  of  the  believer.  "  But  God 
hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit ;  for  the 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of 
God."  "But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned."  We  see,  therefore,  that 
God  does  permit  believers  to  discern  in  those  pre- 
cious promises,  at  least,  "  as  through  a  glass  darkly," 
those  joys  which  cluster  around  that  heavenly  coun- 
try, where  they  shall  mingle  with  all  the  pure  and 
the  good  who  have  ever  graced  the  earth,  beyond 
the  tilne  of  toil,  pain,  and  death.  Thus  he  awakens 
anew  the  energies  of  the  soul  while  they  are  engaged 
in  his  service,  by  the  prospect  of  that  great  salvation. 

Speak  of  the  heavenly  state  in  general  terms,  and 
all  are  well  pleased,  perhaps  the  adversary  would 
have  no  objection  ;  but  be  particular,  make  it  a 
reality,  talk  ^of  "  the  redemption  of  the  purchased 
possession,"  tell  them  that  "the  whole  creation 
groaneth,  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now," 
— of  "  the  restitution  of  all  things," — of  "  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwellcth  right- 


INTRODUCTORY. 


9 


eousness/^ — of  the  voice  of  the  Eternal,  saying,  "  be- 
hold I  make  all  things  new,'^ — that "  there  shall  be  no 
more  curse,"  and  many  object  to  the  investigation  ; 
they  are  satisfied  with  knowing  that  heaven  is  a 
good  place. 

But  the  above  truths,  fully  exhibited,  make  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  a  reality  to  the  believer,  a 
place  that  may  be  inhabited  ;  and  a  tangibility  is 
given  for  his  faith,  making  it  truly  "  the  substance 
of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 

Christians  who  neglect  this  subject,  lose  its  ener-  ^ 
gizing  influence,  designed  to  nerve  them  while  in 
probation,  to  urge  them  onward  in  their  pilgrimage, 
to  sanctify  and  prepare  them  for  that  abode.  "It 
is  given  unto  you  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,"  said  Jesus  to  his  disciples.  Can  it 
be  that  God  has  revealed  that  which  is  not  worth 
the  attention  of  his  children?  "All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  per- 
fect, thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works." 
Truly,  "  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God  ; 
but  those  things  which  are  revealed  belong  unto  us, 
and  to  our  children  for  ever." 

As  the  knowledge  of  one  science  aids  in  obtaining 
that  of  another,  so  also  the  subjects  which  God  has 
revealed  are  intimately  connected,  and  mutually  shed 
light  on  each  other. 

"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word  is 
truth,"  is  the  blessing  which  Jesus  invoked  on  all 

1* 


10 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


believers  as  he  was  about  to  leave  this  world.  Who- 
ever therefore  neglects  any  of  these  truths,  not  only 
dishonors  God,  but  robs  his  own  soul,  especially  if  he 
neglects  a  subject  about  which  God  has  revealed  so 
much  as  concerning  the  one  before  us. 

Men  are  not  indifferent  in  regard  to  a  temporal 
inheritance  ;  and  they  are  considered  wise  who  gain 
all  the  information  in  their  power  concerning  a 
country  to  which  they  would  journey  to  make  it 
their  home  for  life.  How  deeply  interested  then 
should  the  Christian  be  with  his  everlasting  inherit- 
ance? In  receiving  it  all  his  hopes  are  consum- 
mated. 

The  faculties  of  the  mind  are  not  to  perish  with 
this  mortal  life  ;  should  they,  our  identity  would  be 
lost.  That  indescribable  love  of  home  planted  in  the 
human  heart  by  the  Author  of  our  being,  rendering 
even  trivial  things  around  the  homestead  sacred  and 
endearing,  filling  the  very  name  of  home  with  sweet- 
ness, will  not  only  live,  but  increase  in  the  resurrec- 
tion state,  endearing  and  consecrating  the  blessings 
of  that  inheritance,  filling  with  love  and  sweetness 
the  eternal  home  of  the  redeemed. 

With  what  jealous  care  we  guard  those  plants 
of  beauty,  and  trees  of  ornament,  which  perhaps 
called  the  united  counsel  of  the  family  to  arrange 
in  setting  :  with  pleasure  we  nourish  them  ;  our  joys 
increase  with  their  growth  ;  when  they  bud,  blossom, 
and  spread  forth  their  beauty  and  their  fragrance, 
our  pleasures  are  still  heightened,  and  the  inclosure 
becomes  an  Eden  where  no  careless  foot  may  tread, 


INTRODUCTORV. 


11 


where  no  destroyer  may  enter.  What  sacred  joy 
arises  in  the  family  as  under  their  fostering  care 
they  see  the  homestead  improve,  becoming  more  and 
more  beautiful. 

Who  can  walk  out  on  this  earth  of  ours  in  the 
spring-time  of  her  beauty,  with  her  carpet  of  green 
under  his  feet,  with  her  vegetation  arrayed  in  its 
royal  garments,  and  inhale  the  sweetness  of  her 
flowers,  without  rejoicing  with  gratitude  in  the  work 
of  the  Author  ? 

But  when  we  learn  in  the  word  of  God  that 
although  thus  beautiful,  it  is  greatly  degenerated 
from  its  pristine  glory,  that  it  is  full  of  corruption, 
and  groaning  under  the  curse  of  sin,  as  well  as  its 
inhabitants ;  and  that  it  is  doomed  to  death,  to  be 
burned  ;  our  joy  is  turned  to  sorrow  ;  but  when  we 
learn  still  more  by  those  "  precious  promises,"  that 
its  death  is  not  eternal ;  that  Jesus,  the  second 
Adam,  has  "  purchased  the  possession,"  and  promised 
for  it  a  "  redemption,"  a  "  restitution,"  when  he  will 
make  it  as  in  its  original  beauty,  "  when  the  morning 
stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy  ;"  even  as  much  more  glorious  as  the  second 
Adam  is  greater  and  more  glorious  than  the  first. 
And  still  farther  ;  when  we  learn  that  those  to  whom 
it  was  originally  given,  who  have  been  adopted  into 
the  family  of  the  second  Adam,  are  under  him  to 
have  it  again,  when  he  shall  raise  them  from  tlie 
dead,  and  that  their  inheritance  shall  put  on  such 
excellent  beauty  under  his  fostering  care,  when  he 
shall  "make  the  place  of  his  feet  glorious,"  oui 


12 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


sorrow  is  turned  again  to  rejoicing,  will  not  the 
holy  family  of  the  second  Adam  in  that  day  shout 
for  joy  still  more  loudly  than  the  sons  of  God 
at  its  creation  ? 

If  so  much  love  and  pleasure  cluster  around 
our  temporal  home,  and  such  beauty  shines  in  thia 
corrupted  earth,  what  will  be  our  joy  when  He  shall 
Bet  his  hand  again  to  beautify  the  earth,  and  shall 
make  it  our  everlasting  inheritance  ;  shedding  uni- 
versal and  unfading  beauty  throughout  the  renovated 
world.  "  For  ye  shall  go  out  with  joy  ;  and  be  led 
forth  with  peace  :  the  mountains  and  the  hills  shall 
break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees 
of  the  field  shall  clap  their  hands.  Instead  of  the 
thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir-tree,  instead  of  the  brier 
shall  come  up  the  myrtle-tree  :  and  it  shall  be  to  the 
Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting  sign  IJaat  shall 
not  be  cut  off.''  This  is  no  fancy  sketch,  but  a  part 
of  that  word  of  prophecy,  of  which  Jesus  said,  "  Not 
one  jot  or  tittle  shall  in  any  wise  fail."  In  accom- 
plishing which  he  will  obliterate  every  trace  of  the 
fall,  so  that  nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy  in  all 
God's  holy  mountain.  "  The  wilderness  and  the 
solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them  ;  and  the  desert 
shall  rejoice,  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  It  shall 
blossom  abundantly,  and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and 
•  singing :  the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto 
it,  the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon,  they  shall 
see  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our 
God." 

The  object  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  was  to  wrest 


INTRODUCTORY. 


13 


from  the  "Prince  of  Darkness"  the  kingship  of  this 
world  ;  to  cast  him  out  of  the  possession  ;  to  take 
the  prey  from  the  mighty,  and  to  deliver  man  the 
captive,  and  to  restore  to  him  that  inheritance 
which  he  lost  by  the  fall.  But  it  is  not  yet  accom- 
plished. Truly,  "  He  was  delivered  for  our  ofl'ences, 
and  raised  again  for  our  justification.  Therefore, 
being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  He  has  efi'ected 
that  much  towards  our  redemption,  and  he  has  given 
an  Earnest,"  or  a  Pledge  for  the  balance.  The  con- 
sequences of  sin  are  not  yet  removed.  The  believer 
is  yet  under  the  sentence  of  death.  The  ashes  of  the 
saints  and  martyrs  are  still  mingling  in  the  dust,  and 
their  redemption  will  not  be  completed  till  he  brings 
them  soul  and  body  into  that  inheritance.  And  now 
if  he  redeem  not  the  pledge,  the  Christianas  hope  will 
never  be  consummated  ;  therefore  we  stand  by  faith, 
and  if  we  die,  we  must  die  in  the  faith,  if  our  hope  is 
ever  consummated.  But  he  who  has  promised  is  able 
to  fulfil,  says  the  Apostle.  "  For  I  know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against 
that  day."  The  Pledge  which  he  has  given  is  truly 
worthy  of  Him  who  gave  it.  "  In  whom  ye  also 
trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the 
gospel  of  your  salvation  :  in  whom  after  that  ye 
believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance 
until  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession, 
unto  the  praise  of  his  glory,"  Eph.  i.  13,  14.  Our 


14 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


Earnest  then,  or  Pledge,  is,  that  Holy  Spirit  of  pro- 
mise, the  promised  Comforter.  Said  Jesus,  "  If  I  go 
away  I  will  send  you  the  Comforter.^'  When  we 
believe,  we  are  sealed  with  that  promised  Holy 
Spirit,  who  is  our  Earnest  or  Pledge  till  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  purchased  possession.  What  an  Earnest 
He  has  given  !  Sealed  with  the  signet  of  Heaven  ; 
by  the  sanctifying  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  who  is 
given  as  our  Earnest ;  the  inheritance  is  sure. 
"  Now  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
none  of  his,''  says  the  Apostle.  "But  if  the  Spirit 
of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell 
in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall 
also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  which 
dwelleth  in  you."  That  Earnest,  the  Holy  Spirit 
given,  is  to  quicken,  to  make  alive,  to  raise  us  from 
the  dead,  and  beautify  us  with  salvation,  that  we 
may  take  possession  of  our  inheritance. 

There  is  so  much  power  in  the  glory  of  that 
heavenly  country  when  only  seen  as  "through  a 
glass  darkly,"  or,  by  faith,  that  the  highest  honor 
of  kings  and  all  their  glory  fades  before  it.  "By 
faith  Moses,  when  he  had  come  to  years,  refused  to 
be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter ;  choosing 
rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God 
than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season ; 
esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than 
the  treasures  in  Egypt,  for  he  had  respect  unto  the 
recompense  of  the  reward." 

We  should  love  God  for  what  he  is  ;  because  he  is 
pure,  holy,  just,  and  good  ;  but  where  do  we  see  his 


INTRODUCTORY. 


16 


goodn^as  as  in  our  redemption,  and  the  redemption 
of  our  inheritance  through  the  death  and  suffering 
of  his  only  begotten  Son  ?  "  Or  despisest  thou  the 
riches  of  his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long- 
suffering,  not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of  Gcd 
leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ? 

If  we  lose  the  knowledge  of  our  inheritance,  we 
are  like  a  traveller  who  has  lost  his  way  :  he  knows 
he  has  a  home,  but  where  he  cannot  tell ;  he  wearies 
himself  on  the  dark  mountains  of  uncertainty,  or  he 
forgets  his  country  and  his  home  and  amuses  himself 
in  a  strange  land  with  the  passing  events.  But  the 
Christian  who  has  his  eye  of  faith  firmly  fixed,  his 
treasure  being  there,  his  affections  are  there,  and  the 
way  he  knows  :  "  I  am  the  Way,"  says  Christ :  the 
very  progress  he  makes,  gives  him  energy.  As  with 
the  Pilgrim  fathers  :  "  they  that  say  such  things, 
declare  plainly  that  they  seek  a  country.  And  if 
they  had  been  mindful  of  that  country  from  whence 
they  came  out,  they  might  have  had  opportunity  to 
have  returned.  But  now,  they  desire  a  better  country, 
that  is,  an  heavenly." 

Many  excellent  men  whom  the  Church  delights  to 
honor,  have  given  this  subject  that  prominence  its 
importance  demands,  and  many  ministers  still  claim 
to  hold  that  this  earth  will  be  renewed  and  become 
the  habitation  of  the  saints,  but  excuse  themselves 
from  teaching  it.  Therefore  the  subject  should 
claim  more  attention  till  it  stands  again  in  its 
proper  place  in  Christian  theology. 

The  late  Dr.  Chalmers  has  a  sermon  on  the  new 


16 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


heavens  and  the  new  earth,  in  which  he  say^:  "jJ 
great  step  is  gained  simply  by  dissolving  the  alliance 
that  exists  in  the  minds  of  many  between  the  two 
ideas  of  sin  and  materialism  ;  or  proving,  that  when 
once  sin  is  done  away,  it  consists  with  all  we  know 
of  God's  administration,,  that  materialism  shall  be 
perpetuated  in  the  full  bloom  and  vigor  of  immor- 
tality. It  altogether  holds  out  a  warmer  and  more 
alluring  picture  of  the  elysium  that  awaits  us,  when 
told  that  there  will  be  beauty  to  delight  the  eye  ; 
and  music  to  regale  the  ear ;  and  the  comfort  that 
springs  from  all  the  charities  of  intercourse  between 
man  and  man,  holding  converse  as  they  do  on  earth, 
and  gladdening  each  oflier  with  the  benignant  smiles 
that  play  on  the  human  countenance,  or  the  accents 
of  kindness  that  fall  in  soft  and  soothing  melody 
from  the  human  voice.  There  is  much  of  the  inno- 
cent and  much  of  the  inspiring,  and  much  to  affect 
and  elevate  the  heart,  in  the  scenes  and  the  contem- 
plations of  materialism — and  we  do  hail  the  infor- 
mation  that  after  the  dissolution  of  its 

present  framework,  it  will  again  be  varied  and 
decked  out  anew  in  all  the  graces  of  its  unfading 
verdure,  •and  of  its  unbounded  variety — that  in 
addition  to  our  direct  and  personal  view  of  the 
Deity,  when  he  comes  down  to  tabernacle  with  men, 
we  shall  also  have  the  .reflection  of  him  in  a  lovely 
mirror  of  his  own  workmanship — and  that  instead 
of  being  translated  to  some  abode  of  dimness  and 
of  mystery,  so  remote  from  human  experience,  as  to 
be  beyond  all  comprehension,  we  shall  walk  for  ever 


INTRODUCTOEY. 


IT 


in  a  land  replenished  witli  those  sensible  delights 
and  those  sensible  glories,  which,  we  doubt  not,  will 
be  most  properly  scattered  over  *  the  new  heavens 
and  the  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.' 

**We  are  now  walking  on  a  terrestrial  surface; 
not  inore  compact,  perhaps,  than  the  one  we  shall 
hereafter  walk  upon,  and  are  now  wearing  terrestrial 
bodies,  not  firmer  and  more  solid,  perhaps,  than 
those  we  shall  hereafter  wear. 

"  There  will  be  a  firm  earth,  as  we  have  at  present, 
and  a  heaven  stretched  over  it,  as  we  have  at 
present ;  and  it  is  not  by  the  absence  of  sin,  that 
the  abode  of  immortality  will  be  characterized. 
There  will  both  be  heavens  and  earth,  it  would 
appear,  in  the  next  great  administration — and  with 
this  specialty  to  mark  it  from  the  present  one,  that 
it  will  be  heavens  and  an  earth,  *  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness/  " — Dr.  Chalmerses  Works^  v.  7,  pp.  291 
to  293,  N.  Y.  ed.,  1842. 

Calvin,  in  his  "  Institutes,"  says,  "  I  expect  with 
Paul,  a  reparation  of  all  the  evils  caused  by  sin,  for 
which  he  represents  the  creatures  as  groaning  and 
travailing." 

John  Knox,  speaking  of  the  reformation  of  the 
world,  says,  it  "  never  was,  nor  yet  shall  be,  till  the 
righteous  King  and  Judge  appear  for  the  restora- 
tion of  all  things." 

Bunyan  says,  "  none  ever  saw  this  world  as  it  was 
in  its  first  creation  but  Adam  and  his  wife  ;  neither 
will  any  see  it  until  the  manifestation  of  the  children 
of  God  ;  i.  e.  until  the  redemption  or  resurrection 
of  the  saints." 


18 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


The  Rev.  John  Gumming,  D.D.,  of  England, 
speaking  of  the  glory  of  the  future  state  says  :  "  Is 
that  sixtieth  chapter  of  Isaiah  a  poet's  dream? 
Is  it  a  mere  transcendental  prediction  ?  I  believe 
these  glories,  these  literal  glories,  will  be  in  that 
future  state.  I  dc  not  believe  there  is  anything  in  a 
beautiful  flower  inherently  evil ;  or  that  there  is 
any  iniquity  in  a  brilliant  gem ;  or  that  there  is 
anything  of  God's  curse  inseparably  from  a  precious 
diamond.  All  this  earth  wants  is,  not  to  have  its 
matter  annihilated,  or  transformed  into  something 
airy,  visionary,  spiritualized ;  but  to  have  sin  and 
its  corrosive  poison  entirely  and  utterly  purged 
from  it,  and  to  have  the  consecrating  footsteps  of 
the  King  of  kings  upon  its  bosom,  and  then  its 
deserts  shall  rejoice,  and  its  solitary  places  shall 
blossom  as  the  rose." 

The  importance  of  this  subject  does  not  appear  in 
the  above  reasons  only,  neither  because  of  the 
sanctifying  influence  of  this  truth  on  the  heart, 
nor  because  it  sheds  light  upon  other  important 
truth,  nor  because  the  Christian  traveller  would  be 
lost  with  the  knowledge  only  that  he  had  a  home 
and  knew  not  where  ;  but  more  especially  because 
the  church  has  once  stumbled  and  been  rejected  of 
God,  the  result  of  having  lost  sight  of  her  inherit- 
ance, as  the  sequel,  we  think,  will  show.  But 
simply  the  belief  or  disbelief  in  the  true  location 
of  the  saints'  inheritance  cannot  affect  the  heart 
of  any  man  for  good  or  evil.  True,  neither  to 
believe  that  there  is  one  God,  which  is  a  part  of 


INTRODUCTORY. 


19 


the  Christian's  faith,  and  absolutely  necessary  ;  still 
the  simple  belief  will  not  make  the  heart  better  or 
worse.  Says  the  apostle  James,  "  thou  believest  that 
there  is  one  God ;  thou  dost  well,  the  devils  also 
believe,  and  tremble.  But  wilt  thou  know,  0  vain 
man,  that  faith  without  works  is  dead  ?  " 

The  misunderstanding  of  those  promises  which 
represent  the  earth  in  such  a  beautified  and  glorious 
state,  when  "  nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy  in  all 
God's  holy  mountain,"  when  "the  inhabitant  shall 
not  say,  I  am  sick,"  applicable  only  to  the  heavenly 
state,  has  been  the  cause  of  their  being  applied  to 
this  mortal  life,  where  they  can  never  be  fulfilled. 
By  which  means  the  church  has  embraced  the  hope 
that  she  will  enjoy  a  millennial  day  of  peace  and 
glory  during  the  time  of  her  probation ;  the  time 
allotted  for  her  warfare  and  trials,  in  this  sin-polluted 
state  of  the  earth,  groaning  under  the  curse. 

True,  there  is  to  be  on  the  earth  a  millennial  day 
for  the  church.  "There  remaineth  a  rest  to  the 
people  of  God,"  or  as  the  margin  reads,  "  a  keeping 
of  a  Sabbath,"  the  type  of  which  is  found  in  the 
seventh  day  rest,  sanctified  and  hallowed  by  the 
Creator,  after  the  six  days'  work  of  the  creation. 
The  doctrine  has  been  held  and  taught  more  or  less 
confidently  in  all  ages  of  the  church,  and  it  is  the 
first  great  blessing  in  reserve  for  the  saints,  as  an 
introductory  to  their  final,  glorious,  and  everlasting 
inheritance.  Therefore,  the  Millennium  shall  be  first 
considered  in  the  following  pages. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 

"The  people  were  in  expectation,  and  all  men  mused  in  their 
hearts  of  John,  whether  he  were  the  Christ,  or  not." — Luke  iii.  15. 

The  opinion  that  there  will  be  a  .millennium,  ana 
that  it  is  about  to  dawn  upon  the  world,  is  now  ad 
prevalent  throughout  Christendom  as  was  the  beliei 
that  the  Messiah  was  about  to  make  his  appearance 
in  the  days  of  John  the  Baptist,  or  of  good  old 
Simeon,  who  had  got  the  witness  that  he  should  not 
die  till  he  had  seen  the  Lord^s  Anointed  ;  and  pro- 
bably no  less  true  the  one  than  the  other. 

That  delightful  day,  the  heavenly  and  soul-cheering 
time,  the  glorious  and  blessed  restitution,  is  now  so 
inwoven  in  the  heart  of  the  church,  that  it  not  only 
fires  up  the  old  man  "  while  leaning  upon  his  staff'' 
as  he  worships,  but  the  "  young  men  who  are  strong 
in  the  Lord,"  have  the  spirit  of  their  worship  quick- 
ened as  they  catch  the  melody  of  the  holy  theme. 
Even  the  children  of  the  church,  or  the  young  con- 
verts, unite,  while  the  church  prays  ardently  for 
The  set  time  to  favor  Zion  to  come ;  when  the 
heathen  shall  be  given  to  his  Son  for  an  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a  possession  ; 
when  the  sword  shall  be  beat  into  the  ploughshare,  ~ 
and  the  spear  into  the  pruning-hook,  and  nation  shall 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


21 


not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they 
learn  war  any  more  ;  and  he  shall  reign  from  the 
river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  and  all  shall  know 
the  Lord  from  the  least  to  the  greatest ;  for  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  shall  fill  the  earth  as 
the  waters  fill  the  great  deep." 

Thus  prays  the  church  at  the  public  ministry  of 
the  word,  and  in  her  conference  meetings — at  the 
monthly  concert  of  prayer,  and  in  her  church  meet- 
ings— at  her  covenant,  and  her  class  meetings — at 
the  family  altar  and  in  the  closet.  The  millennium  is 
the  theme  of  her  orators  at  the  great  gatherings  of 
the  church. 

The  overthrow  of  monarchies,  and  the  establishing 
of  republics,  are  pointed  to  by  the  Christian  republi- 
can as  the  dawning  of  the  better  day.  The  Evan- 
gelical Alliance,  the  World's  Peace  Convention,  the 
World^s  Fair,  as  great  social  gatherings  of  the 
nations,  are  looked  to  with  anxious  eye  as  harbingers 
of  the  millennium.  The  opening  of  new  fields  in 
heathen  lands  for  the  gospel,  and  great  revivals 
of  religion,  are  hailed  as  its  morning  rays.  "And 
as  the  people  were  in  expectation,  and  all  men  mused 
in  their  hearts  of  John,  whether  he  were  the  CI  rist, 
or  not,"  so  now  there  is  a  universal  expectation  of  a 
better  day  about  to  dawn  on  the  world.  The 
general  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  the  rapid  pro- 
gress of  the  arts  and  sciences,  have  awakened  a 
pleasing  hope  of  glory  in  the  development  of  the 
powers  of  the  human  mind,  beyond  the  stretch  of  the 
imagination  to  tell  how  great.    The  spread  of  know- 


22 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


ledge,  and  especially  of  human  rights  through  the 
world,  causing  the  general  struggle  of  the  nations 
for  liberty,  inspires  political  men  with  the  expecta- 
tion that  the  world  is  on  the  eve  of  its  political 
greatness,  when  all  men  will  enjoy  those  ^'  inalien- 
able rights  of  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness.'^ 

That  this  earth  is  destined  to  a  glorious  and 
blessed  state,  is  the  general  testimony  of  the  inspired 
writers.  God  has  sworn  by  Himself,  saying,  "  As 
surely  as  I  live,  all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,''  and  he  has  specified  a  special 
thousand  years  during  which  the  blessed,  and  the 
holy,  and  they  only,  shall  live  and  reign  with 
Christ ;  and  it  is  a  sufficient  guarantee  to  the  church 
tLat  there  will  be  a  millennium.  God  has  spoken  it, 
and  will  perform  it  in  due  time.    Rev.  xx.  4,  6. 

But  the  great  mass  who  are  looking,  and  even 
praying  for  it,  may  be  as  sadly  disappointed  as  the 
Jewish  church  .and  the  world  were  at  the  coming  of 
the  Messiah.  The  Jewish  church  had  been  praying 
for  a  long  time  for  the  Redeemer  "to  come  to 
Zion."  Even  as  far  back  as  the  days  of  king 
Hezekiah,  when  God  said  to  him,  "  Set  thine  house 
in  order,  for  thou  shalt  die,"  his  great  complaint  was 
because  he  should  not  live  to  see  Christ.  Isaiah 
xxxviii.  10,  11.  "  I  said  in  the  cutting  oif  of  my 
days,  I  shall  go  to  the  gates  of  the  grave  :  I  am 
deprived  of  the  residue  of  my  years,  I  said,  I  shall 
not  see  the  Lord,  even  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the 
living."    His  pleading  was  accepted,  his  days  were 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


23 


extended  fifteen  years.  Kings  and  priests,  prophets, 
and  holy  men,  have  desired  to  see  his  day. 

The  pr-omise  made  to  our  first  parents,  that  the  seed 
of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  had 
been  renewed  to  Abraham,  and  through  his  descend- 
ants had  spread  more  or  less  among  all  nations  ;  and 
in  proportion  to  the  light  the  expectation  was  uni- 
versal, that  the  great  Redeemer  of  mankind  was  about 
to  come.  "The  wise  men  of  the  east''  had  their 
attention  drawn  to  the  subject,  and  were  on  the  look- 
out. They  learned  that  God  had  announced  the  birth 
of  the  long  expected  Messiah  in  his  providence,  by 
the  appearance  of  a  new  and  wonderful  star.  "  And 
lo  the  star  which  they  saw  in  the  east  went  before 
them,  till  it  came  and  stood  over  where  the  young 
child  was."  The  necessity  of  a  Redeemer  was  so 
absolute,  the  expectation  was  so  universal,  and  so 
ardent  was  the  desire  of  the  whole  world,  that  one  of 
the  titles  given  him  by  Inspiration  was,  "  The  Desire 
of  all  Nations."  And  when  he  came  he  was  all  they 
could  have  desired  ;  the  very  one  they  needed.  Had 
the  world  assembled  her  wise  men  to  have  asked  of 
Heaven  some  great  favor,  and  had  they  raised  their 
imaginations  to  the  highest,  they  could  not  have 
asked  an  equal ;  nor  could  the  Eternal  Father  have 
bestowed  a  greater. 

But  when  the  greatly  desired  Messiah  came,  did 
they  receive  him  as  their  Saviour  ?  No  !  they  were 
sadly  disappointed  in  him.  He  was  to  them  as  a 
"  root  out  of  dry  ground.  He  had  no  form  or  come- 
liness, and  when  they  saw  him  there  was  no  beauty 


24 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


that  they  should  desire  him.  He  was  despised  and 
rejected  of  men.  a.  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief ;  and  they  hid  as  it  were  their  faces  from 
him  ;  he  was  despised  and  they  esteemed  him  not." 
Even  the  church  who  had  prayed  so  ardently  for  him 
to  come,  rejected  him.  "  He  came  to  his  own,  and  his 
own  received  him  not."  They  rejected  and  crucified 
him,  saying,  "  His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  chil 
dren."  How  Heaven-daring  their  prayer!  How 
terrible  its  fulfilment  on  that  devoted  race  ! 

As  there  was  a  universal  expectation  of  Christ^s 
coming  just  previous  to  his  advent,  so  there  is  now  an 
equal  expectation  of  a  Millennium  about  to  dawn  upon 
the  world.  But  it  is  to  be  feared  that  the  disappoint- 
ment will  be  as  much  more  dreadful  than  in  the  days 
of  the  Saviour,  as  the  light  and  privilege  of  this  age 
are  superior. 

It  will  be  shown  in  its  place,  that  the  first  step  in 
error  which  led  the  Jewish  church  to  reject  her  long 
prayed  for  Messiah,  was  the  losing  sight  of  the  true 
inheritance ;  but  first  the  Millennium  will  be  more 
fully  considered.  "  I  counsel  thee,"  says  Jesus,  "  to 
anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve  that  thou  mayest 
Bee." 


CHAPTER  IIL 


THE  MILLENNIUM  CONTINUED. 

•*  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the  key  ol 
the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold 
on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  which  is  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  and 
bound  him  a  thousand  years.  And  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the 
nations  no  more,  till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled;  and 
after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season.  And  I  saw  thrones,  and 
they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them :  and  I  saw 
the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and 
for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast^ 
neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  fore- 
heads, or  in  their  hands ;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a 
thousand  years.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished."    Rev.  xx.  1-5. 

The  above,  with  the  five  verses  which  follow  in 
this  twentieth  chapter  of  Revelation,  is  the  only  por- 
tion in  God's  word  which  directly  teaches  a  millen- 
nium, or  a  special  thousand  years'  reign  for  Christ  and 
his  people.  Christians  generally  are  agreed  as  to 
the  fact,  that  a  very  holy  and  blessed  state  is  yet  to 
exist  upon  this  earth,  called  the  Millennium,  because 
a  thousand  years  is  specified.  And  the  only  impor- 
tant question  between  those  who  believe  in  the  mil- 
lennial reign  to  come,  is,  whether  it  is  to  be  in  proba- 
tion, introduced  by  the  spread  of  the  gospel  till  the 
whole  world  is  converted  ;  or,  to  be  in  the  immortal 

2 


26 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


state,  introduced  by  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  the 
resurrection  of  the  righteous  dead,  and  restitution  of 
the  earth. 

As  this  is  the  only  scripture  which  specifies  a  spe- 
cial thousand  years'  reign  for  Christ  and  the  right- 
eous, all  agree  that  its  true  meaning  reveals  the 
nature  of  that  coming  millennial  glory.  Therefore 
from  the  different  interpretations  of  this  scripture 
has  originated  the  division  respecting  the  character 
of  that  reign. 

One  class  of  interpreters  believe  this  language  to 
be  highly  symbolical,  designed  to  teach  that  there 
will  be  a  glorious  revival  of  religion,  when  all  the 
graces  of  the  martyrs  will  be  revived,  and  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  will  be  converted,  or  so 
generally  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  gospel 
that  the  church  will  triumph  gloriously  over  all 
her  foes  ;  and  that  Christ  will  reign,  by  the  Spirit, 
in  the  hearts  of  his  people  for  a  thousand  years, 
during  which  multitudes,  more  than  all  that  have 
been  lost,  will  be  saved  ;  so  that  Christ,  in  numbers 
saved,  will  'obtain  a  great  victory  over  the  Adver- 
sary. 

The  other  class  believe  this  portion  of  scripture 
designed  to  teach,  with  other  things,  the  resurrection 
of  the  righteous  dead,  a  thousand  years  previous  to 
the  resurrection  of  the  wicked,  during  which  Christ 
will  reign  personally  with  his  saints. 

Believing  the  latter  exposition  correct,  it  will  be 
our  o>)ject  to  show  that  the  context  sustains  it ;  and 
that  otter  scripture  on  this  subject  harmonize  with  it. 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


27 


The  great  error,  generally,  in  understanding  God^s 
word  has  been  in  supposing  it  something  wonderful 
and  mysterious ;  coming  from  so  high  a  source,  we 
are  disposed  to  think  it  above  our  comprehension. 
The  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  or  God's  truth,  has 
often  proved  a  stumbling-block.  Though  there  is  a 
depth  in  his  word  unfathomable,  yet  there  is  a 
simplicity  which  brings  it  within  the  reach  of  the 
most  feeble  mind. 

Those  learned  expositors  who  have  understood 
this  scripture  as  a  symbolical  representation,  having 
given  such  a  variety  of  expositions,  and  some  of 
them  having  changed  their  views,  and  still  express 
them  very  positively,  show  that  the  wisdom  even 
of  the  wise  has  failed.  That  the  language  is  to  be 
understood  in  part  or  wholly  as  symbolical  is  evi- 
dent ;  the  great  chain  and  key  in  the  angel's  hand 
should  not  be  understood  literally.  Being  satisfied 
that  the  language  was  symbolical,  instead  of  search- 
ing to  see  whether  God  had  explained  it,  they  have 
gone  on  and  given  an  exposition.  The  wildest 
expositions  of  God's  word  which  men  have  been 
guilty  of  giving  are  of  those  parables,  visions,  and 
symbols,  which  God  had  already  explained. 

The  reader  will  notice  in  the  text  that  we  have 
omitted  the  last  clause  of  the  fifth  verse,  which  is  the 
commencement  of  the  exposition  that  Inspiration  has 
given  of  this  subject.  Those  persons,  who  for  con- 
venience' sake  divided  the  Bible  into  chapters  and 
verses,  have  by  so  doing  made  it  in  some  places 
rather  obscure.    Read  the  following  paragraph,  or 


28 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


five  verses,  in  connexion  with  the  text,  and  it  will 
be  seen  that  God  has  given  an  explanation  to  the 
subject.  The  Revelator  having  described  what  he 
saw.  then  declares  in  literal  language  the  meaning. 

This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy 
is  he  that  has  part  in  the  first  resurrection  :  on  such 
the  second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be 
priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  a  thousand  years.  And  when  the  thousand 
Fears  are  expired,  Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his 
)rison,  and  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which 
are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and 
Magog,  to  gather  them  together  to  battle :  the 
number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.  And 
they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and 
compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and  the 
beloved  city :  and  fire  came  down  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  and  devoured  them.  And  the  devil  that 
deceived  them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are, 
and  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and 
ever.'' 

Thus  Inspiration  has  given  a  concise  exposition  of 
these  five  verses,  divesting  them  of  that  mysticism 
which  a  multitude  of  expositions  has  •cast  over 
them,  rendering  them  sufliciently  plain,  so  that  there 
needs  be  no  misunderstanding  of  them.  And  it  will 
be  easy  to  show  that  thus  understood,  they  harmo- 
nize with  the  plain  teaching  of  God's  word  on  this 
subject.  Similar  examples  are  frequently  found  in 
the  book  of  Revelation,  where  an  explanation  imme- 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


29 


diately  follows  the  description  of  a  vision.  To  adopt 
such  exposition  is  always  safe ;  and  no  uninspired 
exposition,  however  wise  and  good  the  author,  can 
set  it  aside. 

History  teaches  that  the  church,  previous  to  the 
days  of  Dr.Whitby  (1716)  generally  believed  that  the 
millennium  would  be  introduced  by  the  resurrection 
of  the  righteous  dead,  and  personal  reign  of  Christ  ; 
but  Whitby  wrote  largely  on  the  millennium,  and  so 
explained  this  scripture  as  to  make  it  teach  that  the 
millennium  would  be  introduced  by  the  conversion 
of  the  world.  Since  that  time  many  expositors  have 
adopted  similar  views  ;  the  theory  is  so  pleasing  to 
all  that  few  have  been  disposed  to  call  it  in  question. 
In  sustaining  the  doctrine  the  scene  which  John  saw 
and  described,  and  the  exposition  he  gave,  have  been 
connected  together,  and  the  whole  has  been  symbol- 
ized. Some  have  gone  so  far  as  to  symbolize  the 
time  also,  making  each  day  in  the  thousand  years 
stand  as  a  symbol  of  a  year,  extending  the  time  of 
the  reign  to  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand 
years,  or  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  millenniums. 
Some  of  their  expositions  have  been  more  difficult  to 
understand  than  the  text  itself.* 

"  It  is  well  known  that  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  the  celebrated  com- 
laentator  on  the  Bible,  published  an  edition  of  Bunyan's  *  Progress,* 
with  expository  notes.  A  copy  of  this  work  he  benevolently 
presented  to  one  of  his  poor  parishioners.  Meeting  him  soon  after, 
Mr.  Scott  inquired  whether  he  had  read  it.  The  reply  was,  '  Yes, 
sir.*  *Do  you  think  you  understand  it?'  *0h,  yes,  sir,*  was  th« 
answer ;  *  and  I  hope  before  long  to  understand  the  notes.*  * 


80 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Quite  too  much  of  a  license  to  take  with  the  word 
of  Him  who  said,  "  For  I  testify  unto  every  man  that 
heareth  the  word  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  if  any 
man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  the 
plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book.  And  if  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of* 
this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of 
the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from 
the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book,"  Rev.  xxii. 
18, 19. 

Living  prophets  with  the  Revelator  have  ceased 
from  the  church,  but  in  their  place  God  has  given 
the  prophecy  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  with  other 
unfulfilled  prophecies,  constantly  being  fulfilled,  a 
living  miracle  of  the  truth  of  the  Holy  Bible ;  and 
lest  these  prophecies  should  be  treated  as  were  the 
prophets  while  alive,  God  has  set  this  terrible 
threatening  in  the  closing  chapter  of  his  word. 

The  prophets  were  tempted  to  induce  them  to 
bring  messages  of  peace,  and  they  were  persecuted 
because  they  foretold  the  opposite.  "  And  the  mes- 
senger that  was  gone  to  call  Micaiah  spake  unto  him, 
saying.  Behold  now,  the  words  of  the  prophets  (false 
prophets)  declare  good  unto  the  king  with  one 
mouth :  let  thy  word,  I  pray  thee,  be  like  the  word 
of  one  of  them,  and  speak  that  which  i^  good," 
1  Kings  xxii.  13.  But  no,  he  was  faithful,  and 
informed  the  king  of  the  calamity  which  awaited 
him  and  his  people.  The  consequence  was  that  a 
popular  prophet  smites  him,  and  the  king  orders  him 
back  to  prison  to  be  fed  with  the  bread  ard  water  of 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


81 


affliction.  When  God  sent  Jeremiah,  who  was 
greatly  persecuted,  to  inform  the  church  that,  "  When 
they  fast,  I  will  not  hear  their  cry  ;  and  when  they 
offer  burnt-offering  and  an  oblation,  I  will  not 
accept  them  ;  but  I  will  consume  them  by  the  sword, 
and  by  the  famine,  and  by  the  pestilence:^'  he 
replies,  "  Ah  Lord  God !  behold  the  prophets  say 
unto  them,  Ye  shall  not  see  the  sword,  neither  shall 
ye  have  famine ;  but  I  will  give  you  assured  peace  in 
this  place,'^  Jer.  xiv.  12,  13. 

Though  the  prophets  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to 
proclaim  peace  for  the  church  in  probation,  as  will 
be  more  fully  shown  ;  yet  their  prophecies  have  been 
so  symbolized  and  explained  as  to  make  them  teach 
such  a  time.  The  plain  teaching  of  the  apostle  John 
does  not  warrant  the  popular  exposition  of  his 
prophecy,  that  the  church  will  triumph  in  the  last 
days.  He  says,  "  Little  children,  it  is  the  last  time  : 
and  as  ye  have  heard  that  antichrist  shall  come,  even 
now  are  there  many  antichrists  ;  whereby  we  know 
that  it  is  the  4ast  time,"  1  John  ii.  18.  How  does 
the  beloved  apostle  know  that  it  is  the  last  time  ?" 
Is  it  because  he  sees  the  millennial  glory  rising  upon 
the  world  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  ?  No  ;  but 
because  "  there  were  many  antichrists  ;  whereby  we 
know  that  it  is  the  last  time.''  It  was  not  the 
increase  of  holiness  but  the  multiplying  of  wicked- 
ness, which  was  an  evidence  to  the  venerable  apostle 
that  the  daj  of  probation  for  man  was  passing  into 
its  evening  shades.  This  plain  declaration  of  the 
apostle  cannot  be  reconciled  with  a  millennial  reign 
in  probation. 


82  THE  saints'  inheritance. 

The  Holy  Spirit  revealed  to  the  prophets  the  same 
great  truth  taught  in  the  text,  that  the  faithful  would 
obtain  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  the  hope  of  which 
sustained  the  Old  Testament  saints  during  all  their 
extreme  sufferings.  "  They  were  stoned,  they  were 
sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the 
sword  :  they  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in  mountains, 
and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth.''  And  "  others 
had  trials  of  cruel  mockings  and  seourgings,  yea, 
moreover,  of  bonds  and  imprisonment."  And  "  women 
received  their  dead  raised  to  life  again ;  and  others 
were  tortured  not  accepting  deliverance ;  that  they 
might  obtain  a  better  resurrection  f  a  part  in  the 
first  resurrection.  "  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath 
part  in  the  first  resurrection,  on  such  the  second  death 
hath  no  power."  The  history  of  the  church  shows 
that  it  was  this  precious  truth,  the  hope  of  a  part  in 
the  first  resurrection,  founded  especially  on  the  fulfil- 
ment of  this  scripture,  which  enabled  the  Christian 
martyrs  to  endure  the  flame,  and  even  covet  a  mar- 
tyr's death. 

There  is  a  wide  difference  between  the  two  doc- 
trines claimed  to  be  deduced  from  this  scripture, 
while  the  one  holds  out  the  prospect  of  great  pros- 
perity to  the  world,  and  triumph  to  the  church  in 
probation  ;  the  other  holds  out  sudden  judgment  to 
the  world,  and  the  resurrection  and  deliverance  of 
the  people  of  God  from  their  last  enemy,  death,  and 
of  Christ's  personal  reign  with  his  people  upon  the 
renewed  earth. 

The  plain  exposition  which  Inspiration  has  given 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


of  the  text,  should  satisfy  every  inquirer  after 
truth  on  this  subject  ;  but  as  the  hope  of  triumphant 
victory,  of  glory  and  honor  for  the  church,  is  so 
strongly  entertained  by  many,  we  add  to  this  testi- 
mony the  plain  teaching  of  the  apostles,  and  of  Him 
who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  concerning  which 
there  will  be  no  question. 

Our  Lord  informs  his  followers  that  instead  of 
honor  in  this  world  they  should  have  dishonor  ;  that 
their  names  should  be  cast  out  as  evil.  Instead  of 
triumph  the  godly  man  should  be  persecuted.  Yea,'' 
says  the  apostle,  "  and  all  that  will  live  godly  shall 
suffer  persecution."  Who  will  persecute  the  godly 
man  when  all  are  blessed  and  holy  ?  J esus,  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  while  in  the  flesh  was  in  a 
state  of  humiliation,  affliction,  and  suffering :  "  A  man 
of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief."  Shall  the 
servant  be  above  his  master  ?  He  said  that  it  was 
sufficient  for  the  servant  if  he  be  as  his  master." 
Instead  of  glory  and  honor  in  this  world  he  foretold 
trials,  persecutions,  and  suffering  for  his  people,  more 
or  less  severe  during  all  probation.  In  Matt,  xxiv., 
Luke  xxi.,  we  have  a  record  of  the  "  sure  word  of  pro- 
phecy" from  his  own  lips  ;  beginning  with  his  day,  and 
extending  through  the  present  dispensation,  till  he 
comes  again  and  gathers  "his  elect  from  the  four 
winds,"  without  giving  a  hint  that  the  church  will 
triumph,  or  of  a  millennial  reign  during  the  whole 
time.  But  on  the  contrary,  a  time  of  trouble  for  his 
people,  of  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  of  evils  in  the 
church  and  out  of  the  church,  of  the  love  of  manj 

2* 


34 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


waxing  cold,  trials  in  the  church,  of  false  prophets, 
of  false  teachers,  deceiving,  if  it  were  possible,  even 
the  very  elect  ;  but  no  sign  of  a  triumph  for  the 
church,  of  millennial  glory.    The  Lord  Jesus  has 
declared  to  the  world  that  following  him  and  bearing 
the  cross  are  inseparably  connected  ;  that  they  might 
expect  scoffing,  persecution,  and  death ;  no  exemp- 
tion, no  relief.      In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribula- 
tion.''   He  held  out  no  flattering  prospects  to  lure  a 
soldier  to  the  Cross  ;  no  numerous  popular  church 
destined  to  triumph  in  the  world.    He  would  have 
them  know  what  lies  before  them  ;  such  treatment  as 
he  met  with,  that  they  might  not  enlist  without 
counting  the  cost,  that  having  enlisted  they  might  go 
onward  to  the  end,  willing  to  meet  even  death. 
Where  in  the  history  of  the  church  can  an  example 
be  found,  since  Cain  slew  Abel  for  his  piety,  of 
godly  man  who  has  not  suffered  persecution  or 
extreme  trials  ?    Do  you  point  to  some  honored  men 
whose  piety  and  praise  is  in  the  mouth  of  every  one? 
Christ  answers,  "  Wo  unto  you,  when  all  men  shall 
speak  well  of  you !  for  so  did  their  fathers  to  the 
false  prophets.''    Luke  vi.  26.    If  the  master  of  the 
house  was  called  Beelzebub,  what  will  they  not  call 
his  servants  ?"    Probation  is  the  time  of  suffering  for 
the  church,  the  glory  is  to  follow  :  "  If  we  suffer  with 
him  we  shall  also  reign  with  him." 

The  parable  of  the  tares  in  the  field  clearly  teaches 
that  the  wicked  and  righteous  will  mingle  together 
till  the  end  of  the  world.  *^Let  both  grow  together 
until  the  harvest."    And  in  explaining  he  said,  He 


THE  MILLENNIUM. 


35 


that  soweth  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man  ;  the  field 
is  the  world ;  the  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the 
kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked 
one  ;  the  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil  ;  the 
harvest  is  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and  the  reapers  are 
the  angels.  As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and 
burned  in  the  fire,  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this 
world.  The  Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  his  angels, 
and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things 
that  offend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity ;  and  shall 
cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire." 

This  parable  begins  with  the  gospel  dispensation 
and  goes  down  to  its  close,  till  the  end  of  the  world, 
or  age  ;  and  in  passing  over  its  history,  he  has  given 
no  hint  of  a  triumph  for  the  church ;  his  exposition 
has  even  excluded  from  probationary  time  all  pros- 
pect of  such  a  millennium  as  promised  in  the  text, 
fixing  that  blessed  day  after  probation,  after  the 
earth,  the  kingdom,  has  been  cleansed,  "  Then  shall  the 
righteous  shine  forth  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father 
as  the  sun."  Thus  clearly  does  the  teaching  of  Christ 
correspond  with  the  explanation  which  the  Revelator 
has  given  of  the  text ;  both  alike  giving  all  the  right- 
eous who  have  ever  lived  a  part  in  that  blessed  reign. 
Some  have  concluded,  in  view  of  the  explanation 
'which  Christ  gave  of  this  parable,  that  there  will  be 
a  few  wicked  persons  left  during  the  millennium. 
Such  an  idea  is  inconsistent  with  the  description 
Inspiration  has  given  of  that  day.  Blessed  and  holy 
is  he  who  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ;  on  such 
the  second  death  hath  no  power  j  but  they  shall  b6 


36 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with 
him  a  thousand  years/' 

No  promise  can  be  more  sure,  than  that  all  who 
have  part  in  that  millennial  reign  will  escape  the 
eeeond  death  ;  not  one  exception. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

SATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG* 

But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thoi  Band  yeaPi 
were  finished.    Rev.  xx.  6. 

Many  important  questions  rush  on  the  mind  at  this 
stage  of  the  subject.  "  And  no  marvel ;  for  Satan 
himself  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light  f  by 
which  he  would  ensnare  the  church  and  the  world 
with  the  hope  of  glory,  honor,  and  peace,  for  the 
church  of  Christ  during  the  time  allotted  for  her  suf- 
fering and  trial.  Glory,  where  her  Lord  was  spit  on ! 
Honor,  where  he  was  crowned  with  thorns  !  Peace, 
where  he  was  crucified !  Triumph,  during  the  time 
appointed  by  her  Lord  for  the  Bride  to  fast  till  the 
Bridegroom  returns  1  Through  such  a  hope  this  sub- 
ject has  been  brought  into  great  obscurity. 

But  with  the  cheering  promise  found  in  the  first 
verse  of  the  book  of  Revelation,  "  The  revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto 
his  servants  things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass,'' 
and  invoking  the  aid  of  Him  who  revealed  these 
overwhelming  truths  to  John,  that  they  might  be 
made  known  to  the  servants  of  God,  we  will  endea- 
vor to  show  that  these  truths  are  easily  compre- 
hended. 

First,  we  are  asked  with  emphasis,  who  are  the  Gog 


88 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


and  Magog,  whom  Satan  gathers  to  the  great  battle 
after  the  thousand  years  are  finished?  Docs  he 
go  among  the  holy,  on  whom  the  second  death  has  no 
power  ?  By  no  means  ;  the  text  informs  us  who  they 
are  ;  "  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  till 
the  thousand  years  were  finished."  All  the  pure,  the 
good,  the  holy,  rise  in  the  first  resurrection  on  whom 
the  second  death  has  no  power  ;  "  But  the  rest  of  the 
dead,"  the  wicked,  the  impure,  and  unholy,  rise  not 
till  after  the  thousand  years  are  finished.  Then, 
simultaneously.  Satan  is  loosed  when  God  shall  raise 
the  wicked  "unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation." 
But  shall  they  have  a  battle  with  the  saints  ?  No  ! 
they  have  no  battle.  He  goes  out  to  deceive  them  ; 
he  promises  them  a  battle  with  the  saints,  but  as  usual 
he  deceives  them.  God's  design  is  the  final  judg- 
ment, and  its  execution  on  them,  as  the  context  shows  ; 
"  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth  and 
compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and  the 
beloved  city ;  and  fire  came  down  from  God  out  of 
heaven  and  devoured  them,  and  the  devil  that 
deceived  them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone, where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and 
shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever." 

But  will  Satan  be  employed  to  gather  them  ?  We  ' 
would  ask  who  is  a  more  fit  subject  for  the  direful 
work  than  he  who  led  them  captive  at  his  will  in  all 
their  diabolical  life  on  earth?  Those  holy  angels, 
ni'nistering  spirits,  who  minister  to  the  heirs  of  sal- 
vation during  their  life  of  humiliation,  sufl*ering,  and 
trial  on  earth,  will  be  commissioned  to  gather  the 


SATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG. 


39 


elect.  There  is  a  fitness  in  it,  such  as  becometh  Him 
who  doeth  his  pleasure  in  heaven  and  earth.  Shall 
not  the  wrath  of  devils  praise  Him  as  well  as  men  ? 
"  And  the  remainder  he  will  restrain." 

After  having  been  deceived  by  Satan  all  their  life, 
and  having  died  without  God  and  hope,  and  having 
also  endured  the  horrors  of  their  coming  punishment, 
can  he  now  deceive  them  ?  So  the  word  teaches,  and 
it  is  in  accordance  with  the  history  of  sin  on  earth. 

Transgressions  continued  weaken  our  powers  to 
resist  sin,  as  a  resistance  of  temptation  strengthens 
our  virtues.  At  the  commencement  of  crime  the 
youth  starts  back  horror-struck  ;  but  by  continuance 
he  is  soon  hardened.  Although  he  feels  in  part  the 
evils  of  his  course  he  still  moves  on  with  rapid 
strides.  Tell  him  that  he  is  on  the  course  to  those 
still  blacker  crimes  of  midnight ;  amazed,  he  cries, 
"  Am  I  a  dog  that  I  should  do  so  base  a  thing  !"  Yet 
he  passes  on  an  easy  victim,  and  still  more  easy  with 
quicker  step,  till  far  deeper  than  you  warned  him,  he 
plunges  into  the  blackest  crime.  Death  does  not 
effect  any  moral  change  ;  he  will  come  up  in  the 
resurrection  the  same  depraved  easy  captive,  and  will 
ever  be  a  servant  of  him  whom  he  obeyed  on  earth. 
And  those  legions  of  the  Gog  and  Magog  know  no 
other  leader  than  the  Prince  of  darkness. 

If  the  reader  is  on  that  downward  course  of  sin 
let  him  fear  to  take  another  step,  and  seek  at  once  for 
aid  of  Him  who  alone  can  save. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  gives  a  description  of  the  same 
scene.    He  informs  us  that  the  wicked  shall  surely 


40 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


gather  against  God's  people,  while  they  are  dwelling 
safely  in  that  beloved  city  ;  so  beautifully  and  glori- 
ously adorned.  He  does  not  inform  us  who  gathers 
them,  only  the  fact  that  they  gather  against  God^s 
people,  but  not  by  the  Lord.  It  is  an  address  to  the 
church.— Isaiah  liv.  11-15,  17. 

Oh  thou  afflicted,  tossed  with  tempest,  and  not 
comforted!  behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair 
colors,  and  lay  thy  foundations  with  sapphires.  And 
I  will  make  thy  windows  of  agates,  and  thy  gates  of 
carbuncles,  and  all  thy  borders  of  pleasant  stones. 
And  all  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord  ; 
and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children.  In 
righteousness  shalt  thou  be  established :  thou  shalt 
be  far  from  oppression ;  for  thou  shalt  not  fear  :  and 
from  terror  ;  for  it  shall  not  come  near  thee.  Behold, 
they  shall  surely  gather  together,  but  not  by  me : 
whosoever  shall  gather  together  against  thee  shall 
fall  for  thy  sake.    No  weapon  that  is  formed  against 
thee  shall  prosper  ;  and  every  tongue  that  shall  rise 
against  thee  in  judgment  thou  shalt  condemn.   This  is 
the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their 
righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord.''    Thus  by 
the    prophet,  the  afflicted  church  "  tossed  with 
tempest  and  not  comforted,"  during  all  her  probation, 
God  promises  a  holy  city  which  has  foundations  of 
sapphires,  adorned  with  unfading  beauty  and  glory, 
and  that  they  shall  dwell  ,  in  it  in  safety,  being  no 
more  oppressed  ;  terror  and  fear  shall  not  disturb 
them  ;  though  their  enemies  shall  surely  gather 
against  them,  "but  not  by  me,"  saith  God.  By  whom 


BATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG. 


41 


then  sliall  they  be  gathered  ?  John  says,  Satan  shall 
gather  them.  But  at  that  time  God^s  people  shall 
not  fear,  for  Christ  in  person  is  in  the  camp  of  the 
saints.  Associated  with  him,  "  thou  shalt"  this  wicked 
host  of  Gog  and  Magog  "in  judgment  condemn.'' 
Paul  says,  "Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall 
judge  the  world  V  "  All  this  honor  have  thy  saints,'' 
says  the  Psalmist.  "And  I  saw  thrones  and  they 
sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them," 
says  John.  "  Thou  shalt  be  far  from  oppression  ;  for 
thou  shalt  not  fear  ;  and  from  terror  ;  for  it  shall  not 
come  near  thee  ; — every  tongue  that  shall  rise  against 
thee  in  judgment  thou  shalt  condemn,"  says  Isaiah  ; 
they  have  no  battle,  they  are  judged,  condemned, 
and  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  The  same  scene  is 
more  fully  described  from  the  11-15  verse  Rev.  xx. 
The  prophet  has  given  another  description  of  a  scene 
so  connected  with  this  that  it  will  shed  light  on  the 
subject. 

"  Fear,  and  the  pit,  and  the  snare  ;  are  upon  thee,  O 
inhabitant  of  the  earth.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  he  who  fleeth  from  the  noise  of  the  fear  shall 
fall  into  the  pit,  and  he  that  cometh  up  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  pit  shall  be  taken  in  the  snare  :  for  the 
windows  from  on  high  are  open,  and  the  foundations 
of  the  earth  do  shake.  The  earth  is  utterly  broken 
down,  the  earth  is  clean  dissolved,  the  earth  is  moved 
exceedingly.  The  earth  shall  reel  to  and  fro  like  a 
drunkard,  and  shall  be  removed  like  a  cottage  :  and 
the  transgression  thereof  shall  be  heavy  upon  it : 
and  it  shall  fall,  and  not  rise  again.    And  it  shalj 


42 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  punish 
the  host  of  the  high  ones  that  are  on  high,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  upon  the  earth.  And  they  shall 
be  gathered  together  as  prisoners  are  gathered  in 
the  pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison,  and  after 
many  days  they  shall  be  visited.  Then  the  moon 
shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed,  when  the 
Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in 
Jerusalem  and  before  his  ancients  gloriously,''  Isaiah 
xxiv.  17-23. 

This  is  evidently  a  description  of  the  great  day  of 
wrath  so  often  mentioned  in  the  scriptures.  The 
shaking  of  the  earth  spoken  of  by  another  prophet, 
"  Yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also 
heaven,"  quoted  by  Paul,  and  applied  to  "  the  remov- 
ing of  those  things  that  are  made,"  the  inventions  of 
men  ;  when  an  unfading  and  durable  state  of  things 
shall  be  established,  "a  kingdom  that  cannot  be 
moved."  It  is  a  description  of  the  time  "  when  the 
Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his 
mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the  gospel  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  prophet  says,  "In  that  day  the  Lord  shall 
punish  the  host  of  the  high  ones  that  are  on  high, 
and  the  kings  of  the  earth  upon  the  earth." 

Punished  upon  the  earth,  by  the  pouring  out  of  the 
vials  of  his  wrath  ;^all  the  wicked  shall  be  slain  at 
his  appearing. 

"  And  they  shall  be  gathered  together,  as  prisoners 
are  gathered  in  the  pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in  the 


SATAN  LOOSED — GOO  AND  MAGOG. 


43 


prison,  and  after  many  days  shall  they  be  visited/' 
When  thus  literally  slain  at  Christ's  appearing  they 
shall  be  shut  up  in  prison  where  all  the  wicked  who 
have  died  are  now  confined.  "And  after  many 
days  they  shall  be  visited."  How  shall  they  be 
visited  ?  not  in  mercy  to  be  restored  from  punish- 
ment, as  some  teach,  but  by  a  resurrection  to  receive 
the  final  judgment.  The  prophet  does  not  tell  us 
how  long  before  they  shall  be  thus  visited,  but  John 
does  ;  "  The  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until 
the  thousand  years  were  finished.''  And  as  John 
fixes  the  millennial  reign  between  the  first  and 
second  resurrection,  so  does  the  prophet ;  when  the 
wicked  are  thus  shut  up  in  prison,  he  says,  "  Then 
the  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed, 
when  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion, 
and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his  ancients  gloriously." 
He  shall  yet  reign  in  Mount  Zion  before  his  ancients. 
The  patriarchs  and  prophets,  all  the  righteous  shall 
have  part  in  that  glorious  reign.  "  In  the  mouths  of 
two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  shall  be  esta- 
blished." 

Are  not  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  raised  at 
one  resurrection  ?  The  text  teaches  that  the  right- 
eous have  the  priority  of  a  thousand  years,  or  a 
millennium  ;  and  there  is  no  part  of  the  Bible  which 
contradicts  it,  but  much  which  sustains  it.  "The 
general  resurrection  "  is  a  phrase  now  often  used,  but 
never  by  the  sacred  writers.  "  Ye  shall  receive 
your  reward  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just."  "  They 
who  have  done  good  shall  come  forth  unto  the  resur- 


44  THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 

rection  of  life  ;  and  they  who  have  done  evil  unto 
the  resurrection  of  damnation."  So  spake  Jesus  , 
and  Paul  says,  "  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive  ;  but  every  man  in  hiz 
own  order  ;  Christ  the  first  fruits,  afterwards  they 
that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming."  "We  which  are 
alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord  shall 
not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord 
himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with 
the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God  ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."  "  We 
shall  not  prevent,"  we  shall  not  go  before  them,  the 
dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first,  not  all  the  dead,  but 
the  dead  in  Christ. 

Again,  Phil.  iii.  11.  "  If  by  any  means  I  might 
attain  unto  a  resurrection  of  the  dead."  The  Apostle 
knew  and  taught  that  there  should  be  fi  resurrection 
both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust,  then  of  course  he 
would  be  raised.  The  best  critics  give  as  a  more 
literal  rendering  of  this  text,  "  to  the  resurrection 
from  among  the  dead."  Therefore  the  Apostle  count- 
ed all  things  loss  if  by  any  means  he  might  attain 
unto  a  resurrection  from  among  the  dead,  or  to  a  part 
in  the  first  resurrection. 

Again,  Christ,  in  speaking  of  the  resurrection 
state,  says,  "  They  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to 
obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage  :  neither 
can  they  die  any  more  :  for  they  are  equal  unto  the 
angels  ;  and  are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  chil- 
dren of  the  resurrection,"  Luke  xx.  35,  36. 


SATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG.  45 

Christ  taught  that  the  wicked  would  be  raised,  yet 
ne  speaks  of  the  worthy  as  "  being  the  children  of  the 
resurrection."  What  can  he  mean  but  the  resur- 
rection pre-eminently,  "the  first  resurrection,"  a 
resurrection  to  which  some  were  not  accounted 
worthy  to  attain?  But  those  who  are  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  from 
among  the  dead,  "  are  equal  unto  the  angels." 

"  And  others  were  tortured  not  accepting  deliver- 
ance that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection," 
Heb.  xi.  35.  Those  blessed  worthies  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, as  well  as  the  martyrs  and  confessors  of  the 
New,  always  kept  in  view  the  first  resurrection. 
"Who  would  not  strive  with  the  Apostle,  if  by  any 
means  he  might  obtain  a  part  in  the  first  resurrec- 
tion ?  since  it  is  written,  "  On  such  the  second  death 
hath  no  power."  The  Psalmist,  xlix.  14,  speaking  of 
the  death  of  the  wicked,  says,  "  Death  shall  feed  on 
them ;  and  the  upright  shall  have  dominion  over 
them  in  the  morning ;  in  the  morning  of  that  glori- 
ous millennial  day.  "  The  morning  cometh,  and  the 
night  also."  The  morning  of  that  triumphant  day  to 
Christ  and  the  saints,  when  he  shall  give  them  victory 
over  all  their  foes,  even  death.  "The  last  enemy 
that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death."  That  terrible  day 
of  the  Lord  so  often  mentioned  in  his  word,  when  the 
wicked  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  the  fire  of  his  indig- 
nation. "  The  morning  cometh,  and  also  the  night." 
Fearful,  terrible  night  to  the  wicked. 

The  Bible  clearly  teaches  two  resurrections,  always 
stating  that  of  the  righteous  first ;  and  like  the 


46 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


pathway  of  the  just,  it  shines  brighter  and  brighter, 
till  in  the  closing  book  the  Revelator  informs  us  how 
far  apart  they  are,  giving  the  righteous  the  pre-emi- 
nence of  a  millennium. 

The  Author  of  our  being  has  wisely  made  us  dis- 
posed not  to  receive,  without  the  best  of  evidence, 
any  doctrine  which  seems  new  ;  we  should  guard  well 
that  there  be  no  innovation,  for  a  bad  faith  leads  to 
a  bad  life.  But  if  age  gives  sanction  to  truth,  though 
our  view  may  seem  new,  the  reader  may  learn  in  the 
history  of  the  Church,  that  it  is  in  accordance  with 
the  earliest  expositions  on  record  since  the  Revelator 
penned  the  text. 

Our  wily  Foe  takes  advantage  of  that  disposition, 
given  by  our  Heavenly  Father,  that  we  might  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints  ;  and  it  is  stimulated  to  the  highest  when  the 
idolater  is  called  on  to  embrace  the  religion  of 
'Christ ;  he  holds  on  long  after  he  is  convinced  of  his 
error,  as  with  a  dying  grasp  to  the  faith  of  his 
fathers. 

Hence  error  is  not  introduced  suddenly,  but  as  in 
the  Jewish  Church,  little  by  little,  step  by  step,  till 
so  far  led  away,  that  when  our  Lord  came,  their  reli- 
gion was  a  mere  outside  show.  He  said,  "  Ye  are 
like  unto  whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear 
beautiful  outwardly,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's 
bones,  and  of  all  unclcanness." 

They  were  so  far  from  tlie  truth,  that  they  looked 
on  the  teachings  of  Christ  as  innovations,  and 
sincerely  inquired  of  him,  **Why  do  thy  disciples 


SATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG.  47 

transgress  the  traditions  of  the  elders  ?"  He  replied^ 
*'  Why  do  ye  also  transgress  the  commandment  of 
God  by  your  traditions 

So  with  a  millennium  in  this  mortal  state,  it  has 
been  introduced  so  imperceptibly,  being  so  pleasing 
to  all,  till  it  is  generally  believed,  and  to  speak 
against  it,  is  to  speak  against  the  traditions  of  the 
elders  ;  yet  it  is  not  recognised  in  any  of  the  creeds 
of  the  churches. 

The  writings  of  those  excellent  commentators  who 
favored  it,  are  referred  to  as  authority,  just  as  the 
Jews  to  the  traditions  of  the  elders.  We  would  not 
detract  anything  from  those  pious  men,  who  have 
truly  been^  great  helps  in  the  church,  and  will  no 
doubt  receive  a  crown  of  life  in  that  day.  Yet  they 
never  designed  that  their  writings  should  become  the 
oracles  of  the  church  ;  as  they  themselves  taught, 
that  the  word  of  God  should  be  the  only  test  to  try 
all  religious  truth.  "  To  the  law  and  to  the  testi- 
mony ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is 
because  there  is  no  light  in  them,^'  saith  the  Lord, 
Isaiah  viii.  20. 

There  may  be  objections  which  we  have  not  con- 
sidered"; none,  we  think,  but  what  can  be  removed  in 
the  careful  study  of  the  word  of  God.  But  is  there 
none  on  the  other  side  ?  Suppose  that  the  millen- 
nial day  will  Be  introduced  by  a  glorious  revival  of 
religion — that  then  will  take  place  a  great  spiritual 
resurrection  of  the  graces  of  the  martyrs,  and  that  all 
the  world  will  be  evangelized,  and  become  holy — 
that  the  implements  of  war  shall  be  laid  aside  for 


48 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


those  of  husbandry,  and  universal  peace  will  ensue  ; 
and  all  shall  know  the  Lord,  from  the  least  to  the 
greatest ;  and  infants  will  be  introduced  into  a  world 
alive  with  spiritualities,  and  renewed  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  know  not  how  young  ;  "  and, 
as  one  writer  says,  "  There  shall  be  a  thousand  saved 
where  there  has  been  one  lost,  so  that  Christ  will 
obtain  finally  a  great  victory  over  Satan  ;  and  this 
blessed  company  exalted  to  be  kings  and  priests, 
and  Christ  shall  reign  by  the  Spirit  with  them  a 
thousand  years. 

Now  we  would  inquire,  who  are  they  whom  Satan 
is  to  deceive  after  the  thousand  years  have  expired  ? 
Is  he  to  be  let  loose  among  the  blessed  and  the  holy, 
who  have  been  kings  and  priests  of  God  and  of 
Christ,  and  cause  such  a  great  host  to  apostatize  ? 
"  The  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea." 
Satan  would  be  well  pleased  to  have  Christ  obtain 
such  a  victory,  that  he  may  retake  them  again.  Such 
is  the  absurdity  of  a  millennium  in  probation.  The 
idea  that  there  will  be  occasionally  one  left,  as  tares 
in  the  wheat,  will  not  make  a  multitude  which  shall 
cover  "  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  the  number  of  whom 
is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.'^  And  such  a  theory  is  held, 
even  by  those  who  believe  the  doctrine  of  the  final 
perseverance  of  the  saints.  Can  they  who  hold  that 
one  may  lose  his  soul  after  conversion,  believe  so 
absurd  a  thing  ?  Seeing  it  is  written  of  that  number 
who  have  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  On  such  the 
second  death  hath  no  power." 

Should  that  reign  take  place  in  this  mortal  state. 


SATAN  LOOSED — GOG  AND  MAGOG.  49 


and  its  inhabitants  knowing  that  Satan  would  be 
finally  let  loose  among  them,  and  cause  such  a  host  to 
apostatize,  it  would  strike  a  death-like  chill  through 
all  the  thousand  years.  And  while  Satan  was  bound 
in  the  pit,  all  hell  would  yawn  with  horrid  grins  of 
fiendish  joy,  in  view  of  the  future  prospect.  And  if 
angels  could  weep,  they  would  put  on  sackcloth,  and 
Heaven  would  be  veiled  in  mourning. 

Such  is  the  absurdity  to  which  this  peace-snare  of 
the  Devil  leads  its  votaries.  It  is  Satan  transformed 
into  an  angel  of  light.  It  is  his  master-work,  with 
which  the  church  and  the  world  are  flattered  on  with 
the  hope  of  coming  peace.  Every  great  move  in  the 
world  is  interpreted  to  speak  its  coming.  "  Whom 
the  gods  would  destroy,  they  first  make  mad,"  though 
a  heathen  proverb,  is  fearfully  true  in  this  case. 

There  is  a  beauty  and  a  consistency  in  the  plain 
truths  which  give  the  whole  family  of  Christ  a  part 
in  the  millennium  ;  in  that  great  sabbath,  typified 
by  the  sabbaths  which  they  have  kept  while  in  the 
flesh.  "  There  remaineth,  therefore,  a  rest  (keeping 
of  the  sabbath)  to  the  people  of  God  " — ^not  to  a  part, 
but  "  to  the  people  of  God."  Not  one  of  the  family 
shall  be  absent.  The  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  wor- 
thies of  the  Old  Testament ;  and  the  apostles, 
martyrs,  and  confessors  of  the  New  ;  all  the  meek, 
the  pure,  the  good,  shall  keep  the  holy  sabbath 
together  ;  fit  preparation  for  those  eternal  joys  of 
"  the  restitution,"  which  await  them  in  the  saints- 
everlasting  inheritance. 


9 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  PREACHING  OF  PEACE  A  SNARE  TO  THE  JEW13H 
CHURCH. 

"They  have  healed  also  the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 
slightly,  saying  Peace,  peace  ;  when  there  is  no  peace." — Jer.  vi.  14. 

The  Jewish  teachers,  by  holding  before  the 
Church  the  prospect  of  peace  and  prosperity,  caused 
the  hearts  of  the  people  to  be  set  on  earthly 
aggrandizement,  and  "  the  hurt,"  the  deep  depravity 
of  the  heart,  was  untouched.  The  liealing  was  but 
slightly,  and  the  religion  of  the  majority  was  but  an 
outward  show. 

Very  early  in  their  history,  those  teachers  who 
claimed  that  the  promises  to  the  fathers  were  to  be 
fulfilled  in  the  flesh,  instilled  into  the  Church  the 
idea  that  they  should  triumph  over  all  their  foes  ; 
that  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  the  God  of  Israel, 
should  be  established  in  all  dominions  ;  and  that 
they  should  have  a  glorious  reign  of  peace  at  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  Hence  the  universal  anxiety 
for  him  to  come. 

Ezekicl  was  sent  to  prophesy  against  those  teach- 
ers or  prophets,  and  God  gave  him  the  reason ; 

liccausc,  even  because  they  have  seduced  my 
people,  saying.  Peace ;  and  there  was  no  peace. 
"  To  wit,  the  prophets  of  Israel  which  prophesy  con- 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


61 


cerning  Jerusalem,  and  which  see  visions  of  peace 
for  her,  and  there  is  no  peace  saith  the  Lord  God,'^ 
Ezek.  xiii.  10,  16.  Those  prophets  who  saw  visions 
of  peace  for  Jerusalem  were  always  more  popular 
and  numerous  than  the  faithful  prophets.  Why 
should  they  not  be  popular  ?  Was  it  not  a  desirable 
thing  that  the  Church  should  see  days  of  peace  ?  It 
suited  all  hearts.  How  could  they  find  fault  with 
visions  of  peace  for  their  beloved  Jerusalem  or  the 
Church  ?  But  God  saw  otherwise — that  trials  and 
afflictions  were  better  for  her  in  this  world.  "  There 
is  no  peace,  saith  the  Lord  God.^^  In  God  the 
Church  has  peace,  but  in  the  world  trials  and  afflic- 
tions await  her. 

Those  who  saw  visions  of  peace  were  so  popular 
that  the  faithful  prophets  could  rarely  get  a  hearing  ; 
they  were  charged  with  being  mad,  and  of  making 
themselves  prophets ;  thus  they  kept  God's  word 
from  the  people.  "  Now,  therefore,  why  hast  thou 
not  reproved  Jeremiah  of  Anathoth,  who  maketb 
himself  a  prophet,'^  Jer.  xxix.  21-27. 

In  the  days  of  Elijah  there  were  four  hundred  and 
fifty  prophets  of  Baal,  and  four  hundred  of  the  grove 
so  popular  that  they  eat  at  the  queen's  table  ;  while 
Elijah  was  considered  "  him  who  troubleth  Israel. 
lie  had  to  flee  into  the  wilderness,  and  into  caves,  to 
save  his  life. 

This  charm  of  peace  and  a  prospect  of  a  glorious 
reign  had  been  the  popular  doctrine  so  long,  that  it 
was  interwoven  with  the  very  soul  of  the  Jewish 
Church,  so  that  when  Christ  came  and  began  to 


I 


52 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


preach  the  very  opposite  of  all  their  views,  his  teach- 
ing was  exceedingly  obnoxious  to  them.  There  was 
no  beauty  to  them  in  his  doctrine.  Instead  of  pro- 
mising them  peace  and  a  glorious  reign  in  their 
beloved  Jerusalem,  he  taught  that  hated  truth  that 
Jerusalem  should  be  destroyed  ;  "  that  it  should  be 
trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  till  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  should  be  fulfilled.''  Instead  of  peace,  his 
followers  might  expect  persecution  ;  and  instead  of 
honor,  their  names  should  be  cast  out  as  evil.  They 
might  indeed  have  a  time  to  rejoice  and  be  exceed- 
ing glad  in  this  world,  not  because  of  glory,  or 
honor,  or  peace ;  but  "  when  men  shall  revile  you, 
and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil 
against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake ;  for  so  persecuted 
they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you." 

To  embrace  the  truth  which  the  Messiah  taught, 
was  to  renounce  their  glorious  hope  of  triumph  for 
the  Church  of  God,  which  they  had  been  taught  to 
expect  at  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  The  Jews 
were  not  idolaters ;  their  Church  was  the  visible 
Church  of  God,  and  within  her  were  found  the  few 
pious  on  earth.  But  the  most  of  them  had  embraced 
the  hope  that  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  the  God 
of  Israel,  would  triumph  in  all  lands  through  tlie 
Messiah.  The  text  was  fully  verified,  They  have 
healed  also  the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 
slightly,  saying.  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no 
peace.''  The  deep  depravity,  the  pride  of  the  heart, 
was  not  humbled  with  such  a  prospect  before  the 
Church.  Yet,  perhaps,  tlie  world  never  witnessed  a 
peo[)lo  more  strict  in  their  religious  rites.  • 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE.  63 

Their  glorious  hope  was  dashed  to  the  ground  by 
the  teaching  of  Christ.  He  said  instead  of  peace  his 
followers  might  expect  war  and  distress :  "  For 
nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against 
kingdom  :  and  there  shall  be  famines,  and  pestilences, 
and  earthquakes  in  divers  places.  All  these  are  the 
beginning  of  sorrows.  Then  shall  they  deliver  you 
up  to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill  you  :  and  ye  shall  be 
hated  of  all  nations  for  my  name^s  sake.  And  then 
shall  many  be  offended,  and  shall  betray  one  another, 
and  shall  hate  one  another.  And  many  false  pro- 
phets shall  arise  and  shall  deceive  many.  And 
because  iniquity  shall  abound,  the  love  of  many  shall 
wax  cold.  But  he  that  shall  endure  to  the  end  the 
same  shall  be  saved.^' — Matt.  xxiv.  7-13. 

They  could  not  endure  to  have  their  hope  for  the 
church  thus  torn  away  !  "  They  hid  as  it  were  their 
faces  from  him.''  Shall  war  and  distress  and  famine 
and  pestilence  continue  during  all  time  ?  Yes  ;  even 
till  Christ  shall  come  to  judgment.  "  Men's  hearts 
failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after  those 
things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth  :  for  the  powers 
of  heaven  shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shall  they  see 
the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud,  with  power  and 
great  glory,"  Luke  xxi.  26,  27.  Beginning  with  that 
time,  he  gave  a  prophetic  history  of  the  church  to  the 
judgment,  with  no  such  prospect  of  peace  for  them. 
"  They  esteemed  him  not such  humiliating  truths 
found  no  admittance  in  their  hearts.  "  Satan  trans- 
formed into  an  angel  of  light,"  had  perfectly  charmed 
them  with  the  coming  reign  of  peace  and  glory  for 


54 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


the  clmrch  in  this  mortal  state.  How  gladly  would 
Jesus  have  broken  the  spell !  Hear  him  ;  ^'  Suppose 
ye  that  I  am  come  to  give  peace  on  earth  ?  I  tell  you 
nay  ;  but  rather  division.''  Again  he  says,  "  I  came 
to  send  fire  on  the  earth ;  and  what  will  I  if  it  be 
already  kindled !"  Again,  "  Think  not  that  I  am 
come  to  send  peace  on  earth ;  I  came  not  to  send 
peace  but  a  sword."  Although  his  teachings  were 
accompanied  with  the  most  undoubted  miracles,  yet 
these  plain  declarations  from  Christ  did  not  break 
the  spell,  their  ears  were  still  deaf  to  the  truth. 
There  is  no  charm  like  the  charm  of  peace  ;  they 
could  plead  it  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of 
God  ;  it  would  be  God  glorified  in  the  church. 
"  That  angel  of  light''  hovered  over  them,  and  there 
was  no  place  in  their  hearts  for  the  words  of  Christ. 
They  were  perfectly  ensnared !  They  rejected  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  a  false  Messiah,  and  held  on  to 
their  hope  of  triumphant  glory  for  the  church  in  this 
life,  to  be  accomplished  when  the  true  Messiah  should 
come.  Finally  the  terrible  day  of  slaughter  came 
upon  them  as  foretold  by  Christ. 

History  informs  us  that  they  wildly  and  madly 
resisted  the  Roman  army  beyond  all  prospect  of  suc- 
cess ;  and  in  the  terrible  massacre  they  prayed  and 
cried  aloud  in  the  most  enthusiastic  manner  for  their 
Messiah  to  come  and  give  them  victory  over  their 
foes.  But  their  Messiah  was  an  imaginary  one  ; 
and  when  there  was  no  escape  for  them,  their  ange] 
of  light  changed  to  the  dark  messenger  of  death. 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE.  65 

Let  the  Gentile  Church  read  in  her  long  acknow- 
ledged type,  the  fearful  doom  of  the  antitype. 

Oh,  Almighty  Saviour,  break  this  charm  of  peace 
which  lulls  the  Church  and  the  world  to  sleep  I  The 
enemy  cometh  in  like  a  flood,  and  she  is  overwhelmed, 
she  sinks  in  the  spirit  of  the  world.  Who  can  dis- 
cern between  him  who  serveth  God  and  him  who 
serveth  Him  not  ?  And  still  the  cry  of  "  Peace  and 
safety  "  is  going  abroad  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
They  know  not  that  "  sudden  destruction  cometh 
upon  them,  and  they  shall  not  escape.^' 

"  If  we  sufifer  with  him  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him.''  How  can  his  people  anticipate  such  a  day  of 
glory  in  the  flesh,  when  they  think  of  his  suffering 
life  and  ignominious  death  ?  The  servant  above  his 
Master  1  "  And  when  he  had  called  the  people  unto 
him  with  his  disciples  also,  he  said  unto  them,  Who- 
soever will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 
take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever 
will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  but  whosoever  shall 
lose  his  life  for  my  sake  and  the  gospel's,  the  same 
shall  save  it,"  Mark  viii.  34,  35.  Thus  the  Saviour 
taught  that  whosoever  would  follow  him  must  not 
only  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross,  but  in  so 
doing  he  would  jeopardize  his  life. 

"  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and 
by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto 
glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  salvation  perfect 
through  suffering.  For  both  he  that  sanctifieth,  and 
they  who  are  sanctified,  are  all  of  one  :  for  which 
cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren." 


66 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Heb.  ii.  10, 11.  The  Captain  of  their  salvation  made 
perfect  through  suffering !  and  his  subjects  live  in 
probation,  without  suffering,  without  trials  ;  in  a  day 
when  nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  of  God's 
holy  mountain  !  And  will  they  ever  reign  with  him  ? 
Will  he  call  them  brethren  ? 

"  Did  I  meet  no  trials  here — 
No  chastisement  by  the  way ; 
Might  I  not^  with  reason,  fear 
I  should  prove  a  cast-away." 

The  Revelator  is  permitted,  through  the  vista  of 
time,  to  view  the  great  multitude  of  the  redeemed 
from  ^'  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues,  who  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the 
Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes  and  palms  in  their 
hands."  John,  beholding  them  with  anxious  eye,  is 
informed  that  these  are  they  who  have  come  out  of 
great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.''  No 
one  of  this  company  ripened  for  the  heavenly  king- 
dom in  a  millennial  state.  "  A  state  of  peace  and 
glory — the  implements  of  war  laid  aside  for  those  of 
husbandry — the  infant  introduced  into  a  world  alive 
with  spiritualities,  and  renewed  by  the"  power  of  the 
Iloly  Ghost  we  know  not  how  young — in  infancy,  a 
man  in  understanding — the  lowest  in  the  church, 
Edward  Paysons  and  Madam  Gyons,  by  their  supe- 
rior knowledge  of  the  sciences,  they  will  have  com- 
plete power  over  the  elements — disease  will  be  chased 
out  of  the  land — they  will  grow  up  to  hale  old  age 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


67 


without  sickness  or  pain,  and  pass  away  into  heaven 
without  a  struggle  or  a  groan."  Can  it  be  said  of 
the  inhabitants  of  such  a  time,  that  "  these  are  they 
who  have  come  out  of  great  tribulation 

The  above  is  not  the  highest  colored  picture  which  . 
we  have  seen  of  that  imaginary  day. 

True,  they  quote  some  Scripture  in  proof  which  has 
reference  to  this  life,  but  other  Scripture  is  quoted 
that  can  never  apply  to  the  Church  in  probation, 
which  is  applicable  only  to  that  higher  and  more 
glorious  state — to  the  Church  triumphant,  in^that 
rest  which  awaits  the  people  of  God,  when  they  shall 
enter  upon  their  final  reward. 

The  inhabitants  of  such  a  day  could  not  be  tlie 
sons  of  God.  "  For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chas- 
teneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth." 
For  God  has  declared,  "  that  through  much  tribula- 
tion we  must  enter  the  kingdom  of  God." 

What  sympathy  would  there  be  between  Jesus,  the 
"  man  of  sorrows,"  and  such  a  people  ?  or  between 
them  and  all  the  rest  of  the  Church,  who  go  from 
trials,  from  persecution,  from  "  cruel  mockings,"  from 
hunger,  from  torture,  from  the  rack,  from  the  flame^ 
to  the  heavenly  kingdom  ? 

"  Must  I  be  carried  to  the  skies, 
On  flowery  beds  of  ease  ; 
Whilst  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 
And  sailed  through  bloody  seas." — Watts. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  PREACHINa  OP   PEACE,  A  SNARE  TO  THE  CHRIS- 
TIAN CHURCH. 

Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth ;  I  came  not  tc 
send  peace  but  a  sword." — Matt.  x.  34. 

T^OSE  teachers,  who  claim  that  the  implements  of 
war  are  to  be  laid  aside  for  those  of  husbandry, 
contradict  the  above  teaching  of  Christ.  They 
virtually  say,  not  so ;  the  result  of  Christ's  coming 
will  bring  universal  peace,  and  will  cause  "  the  sword 
to  be  beat  into  the  ploughshare,  and  the  spear  into 
the  pruning-hook."  Jesus  replies,  Luke  xii.  51, 
"  Suppose  ye  that  I  am  come  to  give  peace  on  earth  ? 
I  tell  you,  nay ;  but  rather  division.''  Still  they 
answer,  "  Divisions  shall  cease,  the  watchman  shall 
see  eye  to  eye,  and  all  shall  be  united  as  the  result 
of  thy  coming."  Again  he  replies,  I  tell  you,  nay  ; 
but  rather  division  ;  for  from  henceforth  there  shall 
be  five  in  one  house  divided."  He  prophesies  that 
from  his  day  onward  there  shall  be  divisions.  "Who 
has  spoken  true  ?  Divisions  multiply,  churches  are 
divided  and  subdivided,  and  the  most  ingenious 
weapons  of  death  increase.    "  Yea,  let  God  be  true." 

But  have  not  the  prophets  foretold  that  the  sword 
shall  1)0  beat  into  the  ploughshare,  and  the  spear 
into  the  pruning-hook?    The  prophets  have  foretold 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


69 


that  the  people  in  the  last  days  would  teach,  or  say 
that  "  the  sword  shall  be  beat  into  the  ploughshare 
and  the  spear  into  the  pruning-hook.''  And  they 
have  also  foretold  that  waij^  would  continue  more  or 
less  during  all  probation. 

Isaiah  and  Micah  are  the  only  prophets  who  have 
spoken  of  the  sword  being  beat  into  the  plough- 
share ;  and  they  both  tell  us,  not  that  the  sword 
would  be  beat  into  the  ploughshare,  and  the  spear 
into  the  pruning-hook,  but  that  the  'people  of  the  last 
days  would  so  teach.  And  their  prediction  has 
been  fulfilled  to  the  letter. 

Let  the  reader  carefully  examine  the  prophecy 
beginning  with  Isaiah  ii.  2.  "  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  the  last  days  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's 
house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tains ;  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills  ;  and  all 
nations  shall  flow  unto  it."  "  In  the  last  days  f  in 
the  gospel  days,  near  their  close. 

"  The  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house."  The  Lord's 
house,  or  temple  at  Jerusalem,  is  chosen  as  a  figure  to 
represent  the  church ;  and  the  low  mountain  on 
which  the  temple  stood,  to  represent  the  word  of 
God,  that  on  which  the  church  is  built.  "  And  are 
built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner- 
stone ;  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly  framed 
together,  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord  ; 
in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habita- 
tion of  God  through  the  spirit." — Eph.  ii.  20-22. 

The  writings  of  the  apostles  and  of  the  prophets, 


60  THE  saints'  inheritance. 

Jesus  Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone,  is  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord^s  house,  or  that  on  which  tho 
church  is  built,  according  to  the  apostle. 

To  suppose  no  figure  used  is  to  suppose  that  the 
low  mountain  on  which  the  temple  was  built  will  be 
literally  raised  as  high  as  the  highest  mountains 
about  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  Lord's  house  built  on  the 
top  of  it. 

The  figure  is  a  beautiful  one.  It  is  the  mountair 
on  which  the  house  stands,  the  word  of  God,  that 
is  to  be  so  highly  exalted  in  the  last  days  ;  and  the 
church  which  is  built  upon  it  must  necessarily  be 
prominent. 

Think  of  the  difference  between  the  present  time 
and  the  time  when  the  prophet  wrote.  Then,  the 
word  of  God  was  written  with  a  pen,  but  few  copies 
in  the  world  ;  now  it  is  within  the  reach  of  all  in 
Christendom.  Even  since  the  art  of  printing,  a  copy 
of  the  Bible  cost  so  much  that  few  were  able  to  pur- 
chase it ;  now  a  full  copy  may  be  had  for  twenty-five 
cents.  In  the  days  when  infidelity  reigned  in  Prance 
its  enemies  thought  to  destroy  it ;  but  since  that  day 
it  has  been  translated  into  about  two  hundred  differ- 
ent tongues  and  languages.  Tons  and  tons  have 
been  shipped  to  heathen  lands.  The  Bible  is  now 
exalted  beyond  the  reach  of  the  infidel  to  extermi 
nate.  No  book  ever  had  an  equal  circulation.  The 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  is  established  in  the 
top  of  the  mountains,  and  exalted  above  the  hills." 

"  And  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it."  The  Bible 
is  now  being  distributed,  and  undoubtedly  will  be, 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


61 


in  every  nation,  and  read  in  every  land.  "  And  this 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the 
world,  as  a  witness  unto  all  nations  ;  and  then  shall 
the  end  come."  As  a  witness^  not  that  they  will  all 
be  converted.  It  has  been  preached  for  a  long  time 
in  the  Christian  nations,  and  probably  not  one  in  ten 
has  been  converted.  As  we  before  said,  the  church 
thus  situated  on  this  exalted  mountain  must  be  very 
prominent.  But  an  exalted  situation  is  not  always  a 
guarantee  for  purity.  Ahab  was  exalted  to  be  king 
of  Israel,  but  he  was  exceedingly  wicked.  Though 
she  has  so  high  a  situation,  the  sequel  shows  that  she 
is  not  very  pure. 

The  following  verses  inform  us  what  the  people 
shall  teach  or  say  in  those  days.  "  And  many  people 
shall  go  and  say,  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house  of  the  God  of 
Jacob  ;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we 
will  walk  in  his  paths  ;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go 
forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jeru- 
salem. And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and 
shall  rebuke  many  people  ;  and  they  shall  beat  their 
swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into 
pruning-hooks  :  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword 
against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any 
more.  0  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye,  and  let  us  walk 
in  the  light  of  the  Lord.'^— Vs.  3-5. 

These  three  verses  are  a  prophecy  of  what  would 
be  taught  in  the  last  days.  There  is  no  diflBculty  in 
determining  how  much  of  it  is  what  the  people  would 
say.    The  prophet  has  made  it  very  distinct,  for 


62 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


their  sayings  end  in  the  same  manner  that  they  com 
mence.  They  commence  with,  "  Come  ye^  and  let  us  go 
up  to  the  mountains  of  the  Lord/'  and  they  end  with, 
"  Come  ye^  and  let  us  walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord." 
The  following  verse  also,  being  an  address  to  God 
by  the  prophet,  concerning  those  teachers,  fixes 
beyond  a  doubt  the  extent  of  their  sayings  or  teach- 
ings. 6th  verse,  "  Therefore  thou  hast  forsaken  thy 
people  the  house  of  Jacob,  because  they  be  reple- 
nished from  the  east,  and  are  soothsayers  like  the 
Philistines,  and  they  please  themselves  in  the  chil- 
dren of  strangers.'' 

We  might  as  well  claim  that  the  Bible  teaches 
that  there  is  no  God,"  as  to  claim  that  this  pro- 
phecy teaches,  "the  sword  would  be  beat  into  the 
ploughshare  and  the  spear  into  the  pruning-hook." 
The  one  is  the  saying  of  the  fool,  who  "  said  in  his 
heart,  there  is  no  God  ;"  the  other  is  a  prophecy  of 
what  the  people  would  teach,  or  say,  in  the  last 
days  ;  and  no  one  can  dispute  its  fulfilment  in  these 
days. 

If  the  reader  will  closely  observe  the  prophecy  he 
will  see  that  God  has  foretold  what  the  Church 
would  teach  in  the  last  days ;  and  instead  of  its 
being  a  prophecy  of  a  very  pure  and  holy  church,  it 
is  the  opposite — one  which  God  forsakes.  "  There- 
fore thou  hast  forsaken  thy  people  ;"  "  the  zeal  of 
thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up,"  was  foretold  as  the 
voice  of  Christ  by  the  Psalmist. 

The  Jews,  in  their  zeal  for  God  and  the  Church, 
fulfilled  the  prophecies  in  putting  to  death  the  Mcs 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


63 


siah,  and  they  were  forsaken  of  God.  The  Chris 
tian  Church,  in  her  zeal  for  God  and  the  Church,  to 
keep  out  heretics,  seated  herself  on  "  the  scarlet 
colored  beast,  and  became  drunk  with  the  blood  of 
saints  f  and  they  fulfilled  the  word  of  God  with 
Revelation  in  their  hands  ;  and  God  has  forsaken 
her. 

The  Protestant  Church,  in  her  zeal  for  God  and 
the  Church,  has  equally  unwittingly  fulfilled  this 
prophecy.  "  Therefore  thou  hast  forsaken  thy  peo- 
pie,''  says  the  prophet.  Why  ?  what  evil  in  such 
preachiiig  ?  The  preaching  of  the  law  may  make  a 
sinner  tremble — the  glories  of  that  heavenly  country 
may  win  his  affections  from  earthly  things — the 
love  of  Jesus,  as  exhibited  on  the  cross,  may  melt 
and  break  his  heart  in  penitence,  through  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  but  the  preaching  that  the  nations  shall 
learn  war  no  more,  of  great  prosperity  on  earth,  of 
good  health  and  universal  peace,  may  have  healed 
also  the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  my  people  slightly, 
saying.  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace  f  but 
more,  it  never  did,  nor  can  do.  It  has  not  only 
healed  slightly  the  deep  wound  of  sin,  but  it  holds 
out  the  prospect  of  pleasure  for  the  Church  in  this 
world,  notwithstanding  Christ  said,  "  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation."  And  it  has  raised  up 
such  a  church  as  the  Apostle  has  said  would  exist  in 
the  last  days,  2  Tim.  iii.  1-5,  "  Lovers  of  pleasure 
more  than  lovers  of  God,  having  a  form  of  godli- 
ness." This  is  seen  in  the  mode  of  obtaining  dona- 
tions.   Connect  the  giving  with  a  pleasure  party 


64 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


and  the  cause  is  sustained.  Those  church  feasts,  the 
profits  of  which  go  to  the  cause  of  God,  are  crowded 
with  good  donors.  Wherefore  ?  Because  they  love 
God?  By  no  means,  or  the  donation  could  be 
obtained  without  the  pleasure  party.  The  evidence 
is  clear — "  They  are  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than 
lovers  of  God.'' 

But  this  is  not  all  the  evil  of  this  peace  preaching  ; 
they  teach  that  God  has  said,  the  sword  shall  be  beat 
into  the  ploughshare,  &c. 

Were  a  friend  to  write  us  a  letter  and  state  what 
the  people  were  saying  in  a  certain  community,  we 
should  not  think  of  ascribing  those  sayings  to  him ; 
and  should  we  do  so,  and  it  prove  adverse  to  his 
well-being,  the  law  would  enable  him  to  sustain  an 
action  of  libel  against  us.  How  could  the  prophet 
have  said  less  than,  "  Therefore  thou  hast  forsaken 
thy  people  They  have  slandered  their  God  ;  yea 
more,  they  have  done  to  Him  that,  which  if  done  even 
to  a  fellow-being,  would  be  a  libel.  They  teach  that 
God  has  said  the  sword  should  be  beat  into  the 
ploughshare,  when  God  only  foretold  that  they  would 
so  teach.  Let  the  prophet  answer  why  God  has  for- 
saken them. 

*'  Because  they  be  replenished  from  the  east,  and 
are  soothsayers  like  the  Philistines,  and  they  please 
themselves  in  the  children  of  strangers." 

In  explaining  scripture  they  have,  to  a  great  extent, 
introduced  the  "  eastern  accommodation  system,"  or 
otherwise  "German  Neology."  Thus  confident  of 
success,  her  teachers  have  become  careless  in  reading 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE.  6£ 

the  word  of  God.  Better  learned  in  the  sciences  and 
the  wisdom  of  the  world  than  in  the  word  of  God 
and  the  school  of  Christ.  They  have  unwittingly 
fulfilled  this  scripture  ;  and  perhaps  have  been  as 
honest  in  preaching  that  God  had  said  the  sword 
should  be  beat  into  the  ploughshare,  as  Saul,  that 
zealous  member  of  the  Jewish  church,  was  in  persecut- 
ing the  saints.  He  verily  thought  he  was  doing  God 
service.  We  pray  that  they  may  as  heartily  repent 
and  become  as  zealous  for  the  truth. 

Soothsayers  are  those  who  undertake  to  foretell 
future  events  without  the  inspiration  of  God  to 
direct  them,  like  the  priests  of  the  Philistines.  The 
temporal  millennium  is  a  pleasing  theme  for  them  to 
dwell  on ;  they  say  we  shall  yet  have  a  law  esta- 
blished on  Christian  principles,  "  for  out  of  Zion  shall 
go  forth  the  law  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jeru- 
salem." The  Jews,  they  tell  us,  will  be  restored,  and 
they  shall  spread  the  Gospel  from  Jerusalem  to  the 
heathen  nations.  Micah  iv.  contains  a  very  similar 
prophecy.  There  is  a  little  difi'erence  which  is  wor- 
thy to  be  mentioned ;  and  these  two  are  the  only 
prophecies  in  God^s  word  which  speak  of  swords 
being  beat  into  the  ploughshare.  Isaiah  says  the 
people ;  Micah,  the  nations  shall  come  and  say, 
Come,  &c. 

We  have  already  had  fiur  World's  Peace  Conven- 
tion ;  the  object  of  which  was  to  establish  a  World's 
Congress,  composed  of  members  elected  by  the  seve- 
ral nations  friendly  to  peace.  That  this  congress 
might  decide  the  difficulties  which  arise  between 


66 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


nations  without  resorting  to  the  sword.  They  used 
in  their  circular  letter  the  words  which  the  prophet 
foretold  the  nation  would  say.  Micah  from  the 
second  to  the  fourth  verse  tells  what  they  would  say  ; 
but  in  the  fifth  verse  concludes  that  it  would  prove  a 
failure.  For  all  people  will  walk  every  one  in  the 
name  of  his  god,  and  we  will  walk  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  our  God  for  ever  and  ever." 

To  hold  on  to  their  idols,  "For  all  people  will 
walk  every  one  in  the  name  of  his  god,'^  is  a  sad 
ending  for  a  portion  of  scripture  claimed  to  teach  a 
millennium. 

The  nations  fight  on,  walking  in  the  name  of  the  god 
of  war.  The  friends  of  peace  did  not  accomplish 
their  object ;  but  they  have  fulfilled  this  scripture, 
and  they  knew  it  not. 

"  They  please  themselves  in  the  children  of  stran- 
gers." 

It  is  too  true  that  men  of  wealth,  of  influence,  and 
of  education,  are  greatly  coveted  by  the  church.  She 
is  called  on  to  pray  especially  for  such  men.  But  she 
has  no  special  meetings  to  pray  for  the  poor,  and 
the  poor  man  knows  it.  "  My  brethren,  have  not  the 
faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory, 
with  respect  of  persons.  For  if  there  come  unto  your 
assembly,  a  man  with  a  gold  ring,  in  goodly  apparel, 
and  there  come  in  also  a  pODr  man  in  vile  raiment ; 
and  ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth  the  gay 
clothing,  and  say  unto  him,  sit  thou  here  in  a  good 
place,  and  say  to  the  poor,  stand  thou  there,  or  sit 
here  under  my  foot-stool.    Are  ye  not  then  partial  in 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


67 


yourselves,  and  are  become  judges  of  evil  thoughts. 
Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren,  hath  not  God  chosen 
the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them  that  love 
him  ?  But  ye  have  despised  the  poor.  Do  not  rich 
men  oppress  you,  and  draw  you  before  the  judgment- 
seat  ?  Do  not  they  blaspheme  that  worthy  name  by 
the  which  ye  are  called  ?  If  ye  fulfil  the  royal  law 
according  to  the  scriptures,  thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself,  ye  do  well ;  but  if  ye  have 
respect  to  persons  ye  commit  sin,  and  are  convinced 
of  the  law  as  transgressors." — James  ii.  1-9. 

But  have  we  not  a  good  object  in  seeking  the  edu- 
cated, the  noble,  and  the  rich  ?  Can  they  not  do 
much  more  for  the  cause  of  God  than  the  poor  and 
the  illiterate?  Our  judgment  would  certainly  say 
they  could.  But  God  has  decided  otherwise  ;  "  That 
no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence."  The  silent 
ejaculation  which  has  gone  up  before  God  from  that 
poor  widow  when  she  cast  in  her  mite,  may  have  pre- 
vailed more  with  God  for  his  cause  than  the  prayers, 
influence,  and  offerings  of  half  a  dozen  of  the  learned 
and  the  rich.    "  To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice." 

"  For  ye  see  your  calling,  brethren,  how  that  not 
many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not 
many  noble  are  called.  But  God  has  chosen  the 
foolish  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise  ;  and 
God  has  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  con- 
found the  things  which  are  mighty  ;  and  base  things 
of  the  world,  and  things  which  are  despised  hath  God 
chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not  to  bring  to 


68 


THE  saints'  INHEBITANCE. 


naught  things  that  are  ;  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in 
his  presence." — 1  Cor.  i.  26-29. 

They  please  themselves  in  the  children  of  stran- 
gers. The  prophet  comes  to  a  very  difi'erent  conclu- 
sion from  the  church  about  the  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
phecy. They  have  supposed  that  the  fulfilling  of  the 
prophecy  would  usher  in  the  millennium,  during 
which  the  church  would  be  very  pure  and  holy,  and 
that  Christ  would  reign  spiritually  with  her  a  thou- 
sand years.  But  the  prophet  concludes  that  the  ful- 
filment of  the  prophecy  would  bring  about  so  impure 
and  unholy  a  state,  that  instead  of  reigning  with  her, 
God  would  forsake  her. 

Her  crime  is  summed  up  in  these  three  : 

First,  she  has  been  careless  in  reading  the  word  of 
God,  and  has  made  use  of  it  to  suit  her  desire,  with- 
out regard  to  its  true  meaning. 

Second,  she  has  proclaimed  for  herself  peace  in 
this  world,  where  her  Lord  said  she  should  have 
tribulation. 

Third,  she  has  been  lax  in  examining  her  converts, 
and  indifferent  in  her  discipline,  being  anxious  to 
swell  her  numbers  ;  she  has  multiplied  herself  with 
the  children  of  strangers,  who  are  not  the  children 
of  God. 

Mark  her  onward  course  in  the  remaining  part  of 
this  chapter,  till  she  seeks  to  hide  herself  in  the  clefts 
of  the  rocks  from  the  presence  of  her  God,  when  He 
arises  in  his  indignation  to  shake  terribly  the  earth. 

7th  verse.  "  Their  land  is  also  full  of  silver  and 
gold,  neither  is  there  any  end  of  their  treasures  ;  their 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OF  PEACE. 


69 


land  also  is  full  of  horses,  neither  is  there  any  end  of 
their  chariots." 

"  Full  of  silver  and  gold,  neither  is  there  any  end 
of  their  treasures."  This  is  manifest  in  the  cost  of 
some  of  their  houses  of  worship,  some  of  which  cost 
over  a  million  of  dollars,  many  of  them  a  hundred 
thousand.  They  vie  with  each  other  that  they  may 
surpass  in  splendor.  These  are  the  churches  expect- 
ing the  heathen  to  be  converted  ;  but  when  aid  is 
wanted,  comparatively  a  small  pittance  goes  into  the 
treasury,  and  the  cause  suffers  for  means. 

"  Their  land  is  also  full  of  horses,  neither  is  there 
any  end  of  their  chariots." 

The  splendor  of  their  carriages,  and  the  glory  of 
their  equipages,  when  they  appear  at  their  houses  of 
worship,  are  not  surpassed  by  princes.  And  while 
they  listen  to  the  siren  song  of  coming  peace,  their 
coachmen  are  with  their  horses,  and  hear  the  gospel 
perhaps  as  often  as  the  heathen,  whom  the  Church 
claim  will  soon  be  converted. 

8th  verse.  "  Their  land  also  is  full  of  idols  ;  they 
worship  the  work  of  their  own  hands,  that  which 
their  own  fingers  have  made." 

Perhaps  no  age  ever  equalled  this,  in  the  works  of 
art,  for  utility  and  ornament ;  and  perhaps  no  age 
ever  paid  such  devotion  to  them.  The  enthusiasm 
and  devotion  manifest  at  the  exhibitions  are  hardly 
equalled  when  the  most  devout  assemble  to  worship 
the  God  of  Heaven.  No  indifferent,  sleepy  persons 
there  ;  all  full  of  admiration  and  devotion.  They 


I 


70 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


worship  the  work  of  their  own  hands,  that  which 
their  own  fingers  have  made." 

9th  verse.  "  And  the  mean  man  boweth  down,  and 
the  great  man  humbleth  himself :  therefore  forgive 
them  not.'' 

Inspiration  puts  a  prayer  into  the  mouth  of  the 
prophet  against  them. 

They  are  next  called  upon  to  hide  themselves  in 
the  rocks  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

These  teachers  inform  us  that  the  idols  shall  all  be 
abolished.  True,  they  shall ;  and  the  prophet  in- 
forms us  when,  but  not  in  the  millennium. 

20th,  21st  verses.  "  In  that  day  a  man  shall  cast 
his  idols  of  silver,  and  his  idols  of  gold,  which  they 
made  each  one  for  himself  to  worship,  to  the  moles 
and  to  the  bats  ;  to  go  into  the  clefts  of  the  rocks, 
and  into  the  tops  of  the  ragged  rocks,  for  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  for  the  glory  of  his  majesty,  when  he  aris- 
eth  to  shake  terribly  the  earth." 

The  idols  of  silver  and  gold  will  not  go  into  the 
clefts  of  the  rocks,  but  those  who  continue  to  worship 
them,  till  God  ariseth  to  shake  terribly  the  earth. 
Then  those  precious  articles  of  gold  and  silver,  and 
all  their  fine  equipage,  will  be  cast  suddenly  away  as 
useless  ;  that  their  owners,  who  have  set  their  affec- 
tions on  them,  may  flee  to  the  rocks  and  mountains, 
to  hide  themselves  from  the  presence  of  him  who 
Bitteth  upon  the  Throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb. 

"  Come  ilien,  and  added  to  thy  many  crowns, 
Receive  yet  one,  as  radiant  as  tlie  rest* 


THE  FALSE  CRY  OP  PEACE. 


Due  to  thy  last  and  most  effectual  work  ; 

Thy  word  fulfilled,  the  conquest  of  a  world ! 

Thy  saints  proclaim  thee  King ;  and  thy  delay 

Gives  courage  to  their  foes,  who,  could  they  see 

The  dawn  of  thy  last  advent,  long  desired, 

Would  creep  into  the  bowels  of  the  hills, 

And  flee  for  safety  to  the  falling  rocks." — Cowpkr, 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE   EARTH   PROMISED   TO   CHRIST   AS  A  POSSESSION. 

"  Ask  of  me  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thme  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession." — Ps.  ii.  8 

The  above  is  made  a  prominent  proof  text  to  teach 
that  the  millennial  reign  takes  place  in  probation. 
But  those  who  so  teach  are  careful  to  quote  no 
further,  and  would  have  us  understand  from  this 
verse  that  the  heathen  will  be  converted. 

When  they  pray  for  that  millennial  day,  this  verse 
generally  composes  a  part  of  the  prayer,  but  the 
next  verse  showa.  that  if  their  prayer  should  be 
answered,  the  heathen  instead  of  being  converted 
would  be  destroyed. 

"  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  ;  thou 
J5halt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel.'' 

In  view  of  this  terrible  declaration  an  exhortation 
follows,  to  the  kings  and  judges  of  the  earth,  who 
are  in  possession  of  the  inheritance  promised  his  Son, 
that  they  embrace  the  Son  while  there  is  opportunity, 
before  the  kingdoms  are  taken  from  them,  and  they 
punished  for  their  unrighteous  reign. 

"  Be  wise  now  therefore,  0  ye  kings  ;  be  instructed, 
ye  judges  of  the  earth  ;  serve  the  Lord  with  fear. 
Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from 
the  way  when  liis  wraih  is  kindled  but  a  little." 


THE  EARTH  CHRIST's  POSSESSION. 


73 


If  the  heathen  are  to  be  converted  when  Christ 
receives  "  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a 
possession,"  what  force  would  there  be  in  the  exhor- 
tation ?  Suppose  the  kings  and  judges  of  the  earth 
inquire,  what  will  be  the  consequences  if  we  do  not 
embrace  the  Son?  The  only  consistent  answer 
would  be,  if  you  do  not  embrace  the  Son  you  will  all 
soon  be  converted.  There  would  be  no  force  or 
sense  in  the  exhortation.  It"  would  have  the  same 
effect  that  the  preaching  of  peace  has  always  had,  to 
quiet  the  sinner  in  his  sins.  Thus  their  exposition 
makes  this  searching  truth  of  God  to  the  sinner  of 
no  effect. 

But  receive  it  as  it  is  written,  without  any  explana- 
tion, and  there  is  force  and  power  in  the  exhortation. 
Embrace  the  Son  while  he  is  waiting  to  be  gracious  ; 
for  he  has  only  to  ask  the  Father,  and  the  kingdoms 
are  his  ;  and  then  he  will  arise  from  the  mercy-seat, 
and  in  his  indignation  will  dash  in  pieces  those  who 
obey  not  his  gospel,  "  and  they  shall  perish  from  the 
way  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little." 

The  Father  has  said  to  the  Son,  "  Ask  of  me,  and  I 
shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession. 
Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  ;  thou 
shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter^s  vessel,"  and 
John  the  Revelator  informs  us  that  it  shall  take 
place  at  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  Rev* 
xi.  15-18. 

"  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded  ;  and  there  were 
great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  the  kingdoms  of  this 

4 


74 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


world  have  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
hig  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever/' 
It  is  in  connexion  with  the  day  of  judgment  that  he 
takes  possession  of  the  kingdoms.  The  nations 
were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  and  the  time  of 
the  dead,  that  they  should,  be  judged,  and  that  thou 
shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy  servants  the  prophets, 
and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name  small 
and  great."  Then  he  executes  the  punishment  fore- 
told :  "  That  thou  shouldst  destroy  them  that  destroy 
the  earth."  The  promise  of  the  Father  will  then 
be  fulfilled ;  "  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
become  his  possession,"  and  "  he  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever."  His  reign  shall  be  an  eternal,  glorious, 
and  righteous  reign. 

"Know,  therefore,  when  mj  season  comes  to  sit 
On  David's  throne,  it  shall  be  like  a  tree 
Spreading  and  overshadowing  all  the  earth ; 
Or  as  a  stone  that  shall  to  pieces  dash 
All  monarchies  besides  through  the  world  ; 
And  of  my  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." — Milton. 

Notwithstanding,  the  kings  of  the  eartli  set  tliem- 
selves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together  against 
the  Lord,  and  against  his  Anointed,  saying.  Let  us 
break  their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords 
from  us.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh  : 
the  Lord  sliall  liave  them  in  derision." 

The  kingdoms  of  tliis  world  are  Christ^s  lawful 
dominion  ;  and  when  he  takes  to  himself  his  great 
power  and  reigns,  he  will  break  as  with  a  rod  of 


THE  EARTH  CHRIST'S  POSSESSION.  75 

iron,  and  dasli  to  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel  those 
who  have  not  kissed  the  Son,  or  embraced  his  cause. 

Another  text  claimed  as  proof  that  the  church  will 
have  a  triumphant  reign  during  probation,  is  found 
in  Jer.  xxxi.  34  :  "  And  they  shall  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  neighbor  and  every  man  his  brother, 
Faying,  Know  the  Lord  ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me, 
from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them, 
saith  the  Lord.'' 

"  For  they  shall  all  know  me."  To  know  God  is 
life  eternal.  Then,  there  cometh  a  day  when  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  shall  be  holy.  Great  and 
precious  promise!  Happy  prophet,  who  in  holy 
vision  saw  the  day,  and  still  more  happy  will  he  be 
when  he  mingles  with  that  holy  company.  Oh, 
Earth  1  does  the  day  truly  come  when  all  thy  inhabit- 
ants shall  be  righteous  ?  Yes  ;  it  is  the  guarantee 
of  thy  Maker  ;  and  a  blessed  sabbath  calm  shall  one 
day  fill  Emmanuel's  land,  and  the  whole  dominion 
shall  be  holy.  No  horrid  oaths  of  blasphemy  shall 
be  heard  ;  no  pestilential  breath  to  sicken  the  inha- 
bitants ;  no  blasting  wind  to  wither  its  fruit ;  but  its 
inhabitants  shall  inhale  the  fragrance  of  the  unfading 
flowers  of  a  restored  Paradise. 

But  the  prophet  has  immovably  fixed  that  blessed 
time  beyond  the  bounds  of  probation.  He  says,  in 
that  day  "  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know 
the  Lord  ;"  while  He  who  inspired  the  prophet  has 
commanded  his  disciples  to  teach  their  neighbor  and 
their  brother  to  know  the  Lord  during  all  probation. 


76 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


even  to  the  end  of  time,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  thee 
alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world." 

In  that  day  "they  shall  all  know  me,  saith  the 
Lord.''  To  know  God  is  life  eternal,  hence  they 
shall  all  be  righteous.  But  Christ  says  that  "the 
tares  and  the  wheat,''  or  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
shall  mingle  together  during  all  probation,  till  they 
are  separated  at  his  coming. 

It  seems  also  from  the  context,  that  God,  foreseeing 
the  general  tendency  to  fix  the  hope  of  its  fulfilment 
in  the  flesh,  still  further  guarded  this  precious  pro- 
mise. The  prophet,  speaking  of  the  gospel  days, 
says,  "  In  those  days  they  shall  say  no  more  the 
fathers  have  eaten  a  sour  grape,  and  the  children's 
teeth  are  set  on  edge.  But  every  one  shall  die  for 
his  own  iniquity  ;  every  man  that  eateth  the  sour 
grape,  his  teeth  shall  be  set  on  edge.  Behold  the 
days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new 
covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house 
of  Judah.  Not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  days  that  I  took  them 
by  the  hand  to  lead  them  out  of  Egypt ;  which  my 
covenant  they  break,  although  I  was  an  husband  unto 
them,  saith  the  Lord." 

A  covenant  is  an  agreement.  A  covenant  between 
God  and  man  is  a  condescension  on  the  part  of  God 
whereby  he  enters  into  a  solemn  agreement  to  fulfil 
certain  promises.  And  the  covenant  which  he  made 
with  his  people  when  he  brought  them  out  of  Egypt, 
was  sealed  by  the  blood  of  beasts  under  the  law  ;  in 
which  he  promises  a  better  state  of  things,  a  new 


THE  EARTH  CHRIST'S  POSSESSION. 


77 


coYenant  sealed  with  a  better  sacrifice  when  the  pro- 
mised seed  should  come ;  then  the  true  atonement 
should  be  made.  The  law  therefore  was  a  shadow  of 
good  things  to  come,  "  a  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to 
Christ."  The  promised  blessings  of  its  covenant  are 
extended  through  the  gospel  dispensation.  The  cove- 
nant which  God  made  with  Israel,  when  he  brought 
them  out  of  Egypt,  was  only  a  renewal  of  the  promise 
of  the  new  covenant,  or  the  gospel,  which  had  been 
before  proclaimed  to  Abraham  ;  and  the  ceremonial 
law,  or  that  covenant,  was  added,  says  Paul,  "  because 
of  transgression  till  the  promised  seed  should  come.'' 
By  it  the  people  had  a  "  shadow  of  good  things  to 
come,"  or  "  a  schoolmaster  to  bring  them  to  Christ." 
The  blessings  or  promises  of  the  former  covenant 
looked  only  to  the  gospel,  while  those  promises  of  the 
gospel  covenant  look  to  "  the  world  to  come." 

"  But  this  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make 
with  the  house  of  Israel :  After  those  days,  saith  the 
Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  into  their  inward  parts,  and 
write  it  in  their  hearts  ;  and  will  be  their  God,  and 
they  shall  be  my  people.  And  they  shall  teach  no 
more  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  bro- 
ther, saying,  know  the  Lord  :  for  they  shall  all  know 
me,  from  the  least  of  them  to  the  greatest  of  them, 
saith  the  Lord." 

As  the  promises  of  the  former  covenant  looked 
forward  to  the  gospel  days,  so  the  promises  of  the  new 
covenant  look  forward  to  the  age  to  come  for  their 
fulfilment.  True,  we  get  a  foretaste  here  ;  when  "  ye 
believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of 


T8 


THE  saints'  INIIEPwITANCE. 


promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until 
the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession  unto  the 
praise  of  his  glory." 

Christ  has  not  yet  saved  his  people  from  the  con- 
sequences of  sin ;  but  his  covenant,  his  agreement 
with  all  those  who  believe,  is,  that  he  will  redeem 
them,  soul  and  body,  from  all  its  evil  consequences, 
from  mortality,  corruption,  and  the  grave  ;  and  that 
he  "  will  put  his  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write 
it  in  their  hearts,"  so  that  they  shall  not  need  to  be 
taught  to  know  the  Lord. 

This  new  covenant,  or  promise,  established  by  the 
blood  of  the  Testator,  sealed  to  every  believer  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  is  to  be  fulfilled,  says  the  prophet,  "  after 
those  days  ;"  after  the  gospel  days,  the  days  allotted 
for  the  people  to  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  or  to 
believe. 

But  in  this  mortal  state  he  does  not  put  his  law  in 
their  inward  parts,  or  write  it  in  their  hearts.  The 
unhappy  fate  of  a  Thomas  Munzer  and  his  followers, 
in  the  days  of  Luther,  and  many  others  since,  should 
convince  us  of  the  folly  of  such  a  doctrine.  They 
believed  that  the  law  of  God  was  written  in  their 
hearts,  and  hence  became  wise  above  the  word  of 
God. 

In  this  life  the  people  are  dependent  on  the  word 
of  God.  "  This  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
preached  in  all  the  world,  as  a  witness  unto  all 
nations."  Teaching  is  the  great  work  during  all  pro- 
bation, but  "  After  those  days,"  the  gospel  days,  in 
that  better  world,  he  will  fulfil  the  promises  of  the 


THE  EARTH  CHRIST's  POSSESSION.  79 


new  covenant,  the  gospel  covenant,  by  putting  hil 
law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  writing  it  in  their 
hearts  :  and  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  know 
the  Lord,  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  saith  the  Lord  \  ( 
for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity  and  remember  their 
sin  no  more."  The  law  of  love  written  in  their 
hearts  shall  unite  all  holy  intelligences  to  one  another, 
and  to  their  common  Lord  for  ever.  Those  command- 
ments, of  love  to  God,  and  to  our  neighbor,  upon 
which,  said  the  Saviour,  "  hang  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets,"  with  which  he  shall  for  ever  govern  all  holy 
beings,  will  be  written  on  their  hearts. 

"  And  remember  their  sins  no  more."  There  must 
be  a  remembrance  of  sin  till  its  evil  consequences  are 
all  removed.  Although  God  has  thus  clearly  fixed 
in  the  paradisiacal  state  of  the  earth,  the  time  wlijen 
all  shall  be  righteous,  when  all  shall  know  him  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest,  yet  men,  seemingly  deter- 
mined to  have  a  time  of  triumph  for  the  church  in  the 
flesh,  claim  that  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  is  to  be 
in  probation. 

If  that  glorious  day  takes  place  in  probation,  the 
Bible  would  have  to  be  revised.  The  wide  gate  and 
broad  way  which  leads  to  destruction  would  have  to 
become  narrow,  so  that  few  could  find  it.  The 
strait  gate  and  narrow  way  which  leads  to  life 
would  have  to  become  broad,  and  the  great  multitude 
would  go  together  there. 

"  0  thou  afflicted,  tossed  with  tempest,  and  not 
comforted,"  could  no  longer  be  addressed  to  the 


®0 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


church  as  truth.  A  great  portion  of  the  Bible  would 
have  to  be  reversed.  It  would  not  do  to  read  from 
Dan.  vii.  that  there  shall  be  a  wicked  power  which 
shall  prevail  against  the  saints  till  the  judgment 
sits. 

Those  prophecies  of  our  Lord,  showing  that  his 
followers  would  be  persecuted  and  afflicted  till  he 
comes  again,  would  be  wrong ;  and  that  page  on 
which  the  parable  of  the  tares  in  the  field  is  written, 
and  its  explanation,  would  have  to  be  sealed  up. 

What  part  of  the  holy  Book  would  there  be  left 
suitable  for  such  a  day  ?  "  Through  much  tribulation 
ye  shall  enter  the  kingdom  of  God,''  would  have  to 
be  reversed.  "He  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he 
receiveth,"  would  have  to  be  blotted  out.  "  In  the 
world  ye  shall  have  tribulation,"  would  be  false. 
No  ;  it  can  never  be.  The  Church  cannot  have  her 
glory  till  she  reaches  it  through  the  vale  of  humility 
and  suffering. 

The  Bible  has  but  few  pages  that  do  not  contain 
something  directly  or  indirectly  against  this  snare  of 
Satan.  Yet  its  votaries  are  quite  at  ease,  perfectly 
confident  of  success,  and  are  promising  themselves  a 
day  in  probation  of  peace  and  glory  for  the  church  : 
when  her  watchmen  shall  see  eye  to  eye ;  but  facts 
tell  us  that  divisions  have  been  multiplying  since  the 
days  of  the  Apostles.  And  while  the  church  is  at 
ease,  sure  that  the  world  will  be  converted,  "  That 
Wicked,"  that  Man  of  Sin  is  active  and  energetic, 
leaving  no  measure  untried,  and  is  now  working  his 
way  to  the  strong  arm  of  the  civil  power,  already 


THE  EARTH  CHRlST^S  POSSESSION. 


81 


beginning  to  boast  tliat  its  strength  is  being  wielded 
in  his  favor. 

The  Papal  influence  with  the  nations  of  the  earth 
far  surpasses  that  of  the  Protestant.  And  it  is  con- 
tinually gaining  Protestant  territory.  And  further, 
God  has  said  "  that  it  shall  prevail  against  the  saints 
and  overcome  them  till  the  judgment  sits,"  Dan.  vii. 
25,  26.  Then  it  shall  be  destroyed  by  the  brightness 
of  Christ's  coming,  as  Paul  has  said,  2  Thess.  ii.  8. 

If  that  power  should  keep  pace  with  the  rapid 
strides  it  has  made  for  the  few  past  years  in  the 
British  dominion  and  the  United  States,  it  will  soon 
have  the  ascendency  in  these  strongholds  of  the  Pro- 
testant Church. 

What  is  the  answer  of  God  to  the  souls  under  the 
altar  who  had  been  slain  as  witnesses  for  Jesus? 
"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under 
the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which  they  held  ; 
and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  How  long, 
0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ? 
And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  them, 
and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  yet 
for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow-servants  also  and 
their  brethren,  that  should  be  killed  as  they  were, 
should  be  fulfilled."— Rev.  vi.  9-11. 

Docs  God  say  that  they  should  rest  till  their  breth- 
ren should  enjoy  a  millennial  day  ?  By  no  means. 
But  "that  they  should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season, 
until  their  fellow-servants  also  and  their  brethren 

4* 


82 


T^E  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


that  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  ful- 
filled." 

An  Apostle  could  say  "  that  the  Holy  Ghost  wit 
nesseth  in  every  city,  saying,  that  bonds  and  afflic- 
tions abide  me  f  and  a  Watts  could  sing  : — 

"  Are  there  no  foes  for  me  to  face  ? 
Must  I  not  stem  the  flood  ? 
Is  this  vile  world  a  friend  to  grace, 
To  help  me  on  to  God  ? 

"  Sure  I  must  fight,  if  I  would  reign ; 
Increase  my  courage,  Lord; 
I'll  bear  the  toil,  endure  the  pain, 
Supported  by  thy  Word." 

"  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for 
thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  thy  possession.  Thou  shalt  break  them 
with  a  rod  of  iron  ;  thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces 
like  a  potter^s  vessel." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  LOCATION  OP  THE  INHERITANCE  OF  THE  SAINTS. 

"Blessed  are  the  meek;  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth."  ' 

Matt.  v.  6. 

"  The  meek  " — all  the  Christian  graces  summed  up 
in  a  word ;  the  gentle,  the  humble,  the  kind,  the 
pure,  the  good.  Those  only  are  meek  who  have  been 
made  so  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  They  are  true  Chris- 
tians. 

But  have  not  Christians  always  inherited  the 
earth  ?  If  so,  then,  this  beatitude  must  be  revised, 
and  should  be  read,  "  Blessed  are  the  meek  ;  for  they 
do  inherit  the  earth."  No  ;  it  needs  no  revising  or 
explaining  ;  it  is  a  plain  promise  still  unfulfilled. 

Only  a  glance  at  the  History  of  the  Church  will 
convince  us  that  Christians  have  never  inherited  the 
earth.  How  was  it  with  those  dear  disciples  to 
whom  he  spake  ?  They  sold  their  houses  and  lands, 
and  forsook  all  for  Christ.  Christians,  in  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  sold  their  possessions,  and  brought  the 
price  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles^  feet,  and  went  every- 
where preaching  the  Word. 

During  the  reign  of  the  Roman  Emperors,  three 
millions  of  Christians  had  their  property  confiscated 
by  the  government,  and  they  were  given  to  the  wild 
beasts,  at  the  pleasure  of  thei;-  oppressors,  to  be 


84 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


destroyed.  There  was  a  respite  in  the  days  of  Con- 
stantine  ;  but  soon  the  Church  became  popular,  and, 
as  usual,  the  opposite  of  "  the  meek  " — the  proud  and 
the  rash — professed  religion,  and  that  famous  decree 
went  forth,  that  ^'  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devo- 
tion/^ and  the  people  were  not  permitted  to  read  the 
Bible  without  the  annotations  of  the  Priest.  The 
result  was,  that  those  who  read  and  understood  it  for 
themselves,  true  Christians,  were  persecuted  unto 
death,  till  fifty  millions  of  "  the  meek  poured  out 
their  blood  as  martyrs,  and  their  property  was  given 
over  to  fill  the  coffers  of  the  professed  Church.  This 
holy  band  of  martyrs,  this  great  company  of  "  the 
meek,"  have  not  inherited  the  earth. 

Since  our  Lord  gave  this  promise  it  could  not  have 
been  said  in  truth,  the  meek  inherit  the  earth.  It 
has  more  generally  been  the  poor  in  this  world's 
goods  who  have  embraced  religion.  When  men  of 
wealth  have  been  converted  to  God,  their  property 
and  possessions  have  been  laid  on  the  altar,  and  all 
they  have  bought  with  a  price  ;  henceforth  they  have 
been  the  stewards  of  God,  expecting  to  render  an 
account  of  their  stewardships,  of  what  disposition 
they  make  of  their  property,  and  possessions  ;  know- 
ing that  "  here  they  have  no  continuing  city,  but  seek 
one  to  come,"  as  did  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.  And  those 
Christians  who  do  not  acknowledge  God  as  the  owner 
of  their  possessions  and  themselves  but  stewards,  die 
spiritually,  as  certainly  as  Ananias  and  Sapphira  died 
literally,  for  lying  to  the  Holy  Ghost  in  keeping  back 
part  of  the  price  of  the  land. 


THE  LOCATION. 


85 


The  people  of  God  have  never  inherited  the  earth, 
neither  can  they  while  mortal ;  but  "  blessed  are  the 
meek  ;  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth."  This  pro- 
mise will  be  fulfilled  with  those  other  promises  given 
on  the  same  occasion  ;  when  "  the  pure  in  heart  shall 
see  God/' 

The  promise  that  the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth 
was  not  first  given  on  the  mountain  to  the  disciples, 
but  it  had  been  previously  given  by  the  same  Lord 
and  Saviour  to  Abraham  "  the  friend  of  God."  Even 
before  the  law  this  gospel  promise  was  preached  to 
Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful  whom  Paul  calls 
"  the  heirs  of  the  world."  "  For  if  the  inheritance 
be  of  the  law,  it  is  no  more  of  promise  :  but  God 
gave  it  to  Abraham  by  promise,"  Gal.  iii.  18. 

Jesus  also  said  to  the  Jews  "  your  father  Abraham 
rejoiced  to  see  my  day,  and  b  j  saw  it  and  was  glad." 
At  which  time  the  Lord  premised  the  land  both  to 
him,  and  to  his  seed ;  not  s*  rply  to  dwell  in  as 
pilgrims  and  strangers,  but  for  rai  everlasting  posses- 
sion. God  promised  Abraham  that  he  should  have 
it  for  ever,  and  he  believed  God.  Hence  he  is  called 
"  the  heir  of  the  world,  not  through  the  law,  but 
through  the  righteousness  of  faith,^'  Rom.  iv.  13.  * 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  Abraham,  after  that  Lot 
was  separated  from  him,  lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and 
look  from  the  place  where  thou  art,  northward  and 
southward,  and  eastward,  and  westward  ;  for  all  the 
land  which  thou  seest,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to 
thy  seed  for  ever."    "  Arise,  walk  through  the  land 


86 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


in  the  length  of  it,  and  in  the  breadth  of  it ;  for  I 
will  give  it  unto  thee,"  Gen.  xiii.  14,  15, 17. 

Did  Abraham  havo  the  land  according  to  this 
promise  ?  No  ;  not  one  foot  of  it,  says  the  word  of 
God.  He  sojourned  in  it  as  a  pilgrim,  and  a 
stranger,  having  no  inheritance  in  it.  He  had  to 
purchase  even  a  burying-place  for  Sarah  his  com- 
panion. Though  Abraham,  as  he  passes  through  the 
land  in  the  length  and  breadth  of  it,  is  bid  to  look 
as  far  as  his  eye  could  extend  in  each  point  of  the 
compass  ;  and  God  promises  to  give  it  to  him  and 
his  seed  for  an  everlasting  possession ;  yet  in  the 
special  providence  of  God,  he  is  careful  to  have  the 
fact  recorded,  that  Abraham  must  buy  even  a  burying- 
place  ;  so  that  not  only  Abraham,  but  the  children  of 
the  covenant,  might  understand  that  the  promise  was 
not  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  flesh. 

The  natural  heart  always  claiming  the  fulfilment 
of  the  promise  in  the  flesh,  it  became  a  source  of 
great  stumbling  to  the  Jewish  church.  And  it  is 
still  a  fruitful  source  of  stumbling  even  in  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

It  was  the  most  offensive  doctrine  that  could  be 
brought  before  the  unbelieving  Jew,  that  the  promise 
to  Abraham  of  the  inheritance,  was  to  be  fulfilled  in 
the  resurrection  state. 

When  the  council  of  the  seventy  elders  of  the 
Jewish  church,  the  Grand  Sanhedrim,  were  assem- 
bled to  try  Stephen,  the  first  Christian  martyr  who 
fell  a  victim  to  their  rage,  he  brought  forward  this 
truth  in  his  defence,  to  prove  the  resurrection  of  the 


THE  LOCATION. 


87 


dead.  He  declared  that  God  had  not  yet  fulfilled 
that  promise  to  Abraham  of  the  land.  He  says, 
Acts  vii.  2-5,  "  Men,  brethren,  and  Fathers,  hearken, 
the  God  of  glory  appeared  unto  our  Father  Abraham 
when  he  was  in  Mesopotamia,  before  he  dwelt  in 
Charran,  and  said  unto  him,  get  thee  out  of  thy 
country  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  th^ 
land'which  I  shall  shew  thee.  Then  came  he  out  of 
the  land  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  dwelt  in  Charran, 
And  from  thence,  when  his  father  was  dead,  he 
removed  him  into  this  land  wherein  ye  now  dwell 
And  he  gave  him  none  inheritance  in  it,  no,  not  so 
much  as  to  set  his  foot  on  :  yet  he  promised  that  he 
would  give  it  to  him  for  a  possession,  and  his  seed 
after  him,  when  as  yet  he  had  no  child." 

His  argument  is  conclusive,  that  as  God  had 
promised  to  give  the  land  to  Abraham,  and  as  he  had 
not  yet  given  him  so  much  as  to  set  his  foot  on, 
Abraham  being  dead,  he  must  necessarily  have  a 
resurrection  in  order  to  receive  the  promised  inherit- 
ance, that  the  oath  and  promise  of  God  to  Abraham 
might  not  fail.  And  while  Stephen  thus  makes  his 
way  plain  to  introduce  Christ  as  the  true  Messiah, 
notwithstanding  they  had  crucified  him,  he  also 
strikes  a  deathblow  at  tlieir  hope  of  glory  for  the 
church  in  the  flesh. 

Stephen  further  teaches  them,  that  the  promise  to 
Abraham,  that  he  and  his  seed  should  have  the  land 
for  an  everlasting  inheritance,  was  not  fulfilled  by  the 
return  of  their  fathers  from  Egypt  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  ;  and  quotes  another  promise  of  God  to 


88 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Abraham  as  proof :  6th  and  Tth  verses,  "  And  God 
Bpake  on  this  wise,  that  his  seed  should  sojourn  in  a 
strange  land  ;  and  they  should  bring  them  into  bond* 
age,  and  entreat  them  evil  four  hundred  years.  And 
the  nation  to  whom  they  shall  be  in  bondage  will  I 
judge,  said  God  :  and  after  that,  they  shall  come  forth 
and  serve  me  in  this  place/'  Their  return  and  tem- 
poral possession  he  claimed  only  fulfilled  the  promise 
that  "  They  shall  come  forth  and  serve  me  in  this 
place."  Even  the  Jewish  law  would  have  taught  them, 
had  they  heeded  it,  that  their  possession  was  still  in  the 
future.  For  God  was  very  careful  when  he  brought 
them  from  Egypt  into  the  land,  to  make  this  truth 
plain  to  them,  that  they  were  not  to  have  their  inhe- 
ritance till  the  land  should  be  redeemed,  that  their 
possession  was  only  temporal,  and  that  they  were  to 
be  tenants,  making  it  a  law,  saying,  "  The  land  shall 
not  be  sold  for  ever  ;  for  the  land  is  mine,  for  ye  are 
strangers  and  sojourners  with  me.  And  in  all  the 
land  of  your  possession  ye  shall  grant  a  redemption 
for  the  land,"  Lev.  xxv.  23,  24,  "  The  law  was  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come  f  Of  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  purchased  possession,  to  the  praise  of  his- 
glory." 

Sucli  teaching  was  the  great  offence  of  the  gospel 
to  the  Jewish  church.  It  cut  oif  at  once  their  hope 
of  glory  and  honor  for  the  church  in  this  mortal  state  ; 
and  it  applied  all  those  blessed  promises  given  to  the 
fathers,  of  a  city  to  come,  which  should  be  made  an 
eternal  excellency  and  a  glory  in  all  the  earth,  that 
nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  God's  holy  moun- 


THE  LOCATION. 


89 


tain,  to  the  immortal  state,  and  renewed  earth  :  and 
it  made  the  condition  of  enjoying  them,  faith  in 
Jesus,  and  holiness  of  heart.  It  sustained  that  hated 
doctrine  taught  by  the  Saviour  himself,  that  their 
Jerusalem  should  be  destroyed,  instead  of  being  made 
glorious,  and  that  it  should  be  trodden  down  of  the 
Gentiles  during  all  probation,  or  till  the  time  of  the 
Gentiles  should  be  fulfilled.  This  was  the  doctrinal 
part  of  Stephen's  discourse.  The  remainder  was  his- 
torical, showing  them  that  their  fathers  had  taken  the 
same  corrupting  view  of  God's  promises,  and  thereby 
had  been  turned  to  idolatry.  "  Ye  stiff-necked  and 
uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist 
the  Holy  Ghost :  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye." 

The  apostle  Paul  gives  the  same  testimony,  and  if 
possible  still  more  clearly,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Heb.  xi. 
8-13,  "  By  faith  Abraham  when  he  was  called  to  go 
out  into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for  an 
inheritance,  obeyed  ;  and  he  went  out  not  knowing 
whither  he  went.  By  faith  he  sojourned  in  the  land 
of  promise  as  in  a  strange  country,  dwelling  in  taber- 
nacles with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of 
the  same  promise."  In  the  10th,  11th,  and  12th 
verses  he  enumerates  the  multitude  of  the  faithful 
seed,  and  says,  13th  verse,  "  these  all  died  in  the  faith 
not  having  received  the  promises,  but  having  seen 
them  afar  off,  and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and 
embraced  them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  stran- 
gers and  pilgrims  on  the  earth." 

From  the  above,  and  from  Abraham's  history,  we 
learn  that  he  is  called  of  God  to  go  out  into  a  place 


90 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


which  he  should  afterwards  receive  for  an  inheritanco. 
and  the  promise  was  renewed  to  Isaac  and  Jacob  ; 
and  not  only  they,  but  all  their  faithful  seed  embraced 
the  promises,  and  although  they  lived  in  the  land, 
they  confessed  that  they  were  strangers.  They  saw 
that  the  time  for  the  promises  to  be  fulfilled  was  afar 
off ;  and  all  the  faithful  sons  and  daughters  of  4-bra* 
ham  who  had  been  gathered  to  their  fathers  previous 
to  the  apostles'  day,  died,  believing  that  God  would 
fulfil  the  promise  by  giving  them  the  land  for  an 
everlasting  inheritance.  We  see,  therefore,  that  the 
promise  to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed  remains  to  be 
fulfilled  when  the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth. 

When  shall  they  inherit  it  ?  When  the  "  Son  of 
man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather 
out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and  them 
which  do  iniquity ;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  fur- 
nace of  fire  *:  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth  ;  then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun 
in  the  kingdom  of  their  father  f.  then  shall  the  meek 
inherit  the  earth. 

Our  Lord  represents  the  Jews  as  only  tenants,  not 
owners  or  inheritors  of  the  land,  but  liable  to  be 
turned  away  at  the  will  of  the  Owner,  as  husbandmen 
who  had  taken  a  vineyard.  "  And  when  the  time  of 
the  fruit  drew  near  he  sent  his  servants  to  the  hus- 
bandmen, that  they  might  receive  the  fruit  of  it. 
And  the  husbandmen  took  his  servants  and  beat  one, 
and  killed  another,  and  stoned  another.  Again  he 
Bent  other  servants  more  than  the  first ;  and  they  did 
unto  them  likewise.    But  last  of  all  he  sent  u^'to 


THE  LOCATION. 


91 


them  his  Son,  saying,  They  will  reverence  my  Son. 
But  when  the  husbandmen  saw  the  Son,  they  said 
among  themselves,  this  is  the  heir,  come  let  us  kill 
him,  and  let  us  seize  on  his  inheritance.  And  they 
caught  him,  and  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard  and 
slew  him.'^  Jesus  informs  them  that  they  should  ba 
rejected  from  being  tenants,  and  should  be  de- 
stroyed. 

But  the  promise  to^Abrahara  was  like  the  promise 
which  Jesus  gave  to  the  meek,  unconditional,  immu- 
table, "Blessed  are  the  meek  ;  for  they  shall  inherit 
the  earth."  And  to  Abraham  he  says,  "  To  thee  will 
I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed  for  ever  ; — Arise,  walk 
through  the  land  in  the  length  of  it  and  in  the  breadth 
of  it ;  for  I  will  give  it  unto  thee.''  But  the  great 
mass  of  the  Jewish  Church  ever  looking  for  the  ful- 
filment of  the  promises  in  the  flesh,  they  resisted  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  touchingly  and  deeply 
impressed  upon  the  father  of  the  faithful  in  the  ofl'er- 
ing  up  of  Isaac.  Abraham  having  been  previously 
informed  that  "  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called,''  is 
commanded  to  offer  him  to  God  as  a  burnt  offering. 
And  his  faith  staggered  not,  "  accounting  that  God 
was  able  to  raise  him  up  even  from  the  dead  ;  from 
whence  also  he  received  him  in  a  figure  ;"  showing 
most  clearly  that  it  was  through  death  and  the  resur- 
rection that  they  were  to  receive  the  promised  inherit- 
ance. Isaac  being  a  type  of  the  true  seed,  Christ 
the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  a  deep  and  lasting 
impression  is  made  by  the  price  of  man's  redemption  ; 
while  it  for  ever  connects  it  with  the  redemption  of 


92 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


his  inheritance.  So  the  apostle  teaches,  Eph.  i.  12-14, 
"  That  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory  who 
first  trusted  in  Christ.  In  whom  ye  also  trusted, 
after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of 
your  salvation  ;  in  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed, 
ye  were  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the 
redemption  of  the  purchased  possession,  unto  the 
praise  of  his  glory.''  Here  we  are  informed  that 
when  we  believe  in  Christ,  who  is  the  true  promised 
seed  of  Abraham,  we  are  sealed  with  that  promised 
Holy  Spirit,  who  is  our  Earnest,  our  Pledge,  till  our 
possession  shall  be  redeemed. 

What  possession  has  man  lost  which  is  to  be 
redeemed  ?  The  only  one  he  ever  had  ;  the  earth. 
The  earth  was  given  him  when  it  was  so  beautiful  and 
glorious  that  God  pronounced  it  very  good  ;  and  of 
man  he  said,  "  let  them  have  dominion  over  all 
the  earth."  This  lost  and  forfeited  dominion,  the 
Apostle  teaches  above,  that  Christ  has  purchased 
and  will  redeem  it  from  the  curse.  Though  Christ 
has  inherited  it  as  the  true  seed  of  Abraham,  it  being 
still  under  the  curse,  he  Ras  paid  the  price  of  its 
redemption. 

Cowpcr  lias  expressed  tlie  same  in  the  following 
lines  : 

"It  was  thine 
By  ancient  covenant,  ere  Nature's  birth  ; 
And  thou  hast  made  it  thine  by  purchase  since, 
And  overpaid  its  vahie  with  thy  blood." 

The  Apostle  Paul  claims  tliat  Abraham's  promised 


THE  LOCATION. 


98 


inheritance  included  the  whole  earth,  "  For  tho 
promise  that  he  should  be  the  heir  of  the  world  was 
not  to  Abraham,  or  to  his  seed,  through  the  law,  but 
through  the  righteousness  of  faith,''  Rom.  iv.  13. 
Again  he  says,  "  And  if  ye  be  Christ's  then  are  y8 
Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise  f 
for  the  meek  are  the  children  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
son  of  Abraham.  Therefore  said  the  Saviour, 
"Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth." 

Hence  the  saints  sing  of  the  location  of  theic 
inheritance,  Rev.  v.  9-10,  "  And  they  sung  a  new 
song,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and 
to  open  the  seals  thereof ;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and 
hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation ;  and 
hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests ;  and 
we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  SECOND  ADAM. 

"  And  so  it  is  written,  the  first  man  Adam  was  made  a  living  soul, 
the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quickening  spirit.  The  first  man  is  of  the 
earth,  earthy :  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven." — 1  Cor. 
XV.  45,  47. 

Man  was  originally  invested  with  royalty.  God 
created  him  in  his  own  image;  and  placed  him  at  the 
head  of  all  things  on  the  earth.  This  earth  was  his 
peaceful  dominion.  God  said,  "  Let  us  make  man  in 
our  image  aftei*  our  likeness,  and  let  them  have 
dominion  ....  over  all  the  earth/' — Gen.  i.  26. 

This  earth  was  desigjied  for  his  abode,  it  was 
adapted  to  his  nature,  and  his  nature  was  adapted  to 
it.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  "  God  saw 
every  thing  that  he  had  made  ;  and  behold  it  was 
very  good.'' 

Man's  power  being  delegated  to  him,  his  right  to 
reign  as  the  lord  and  king  of  the  earth  was  condi- 
tional ;  and  the  first  Adam  lost  his  dominion  in  con- 
sequence of  sin.  The  earth,  his  heritage,  was  cursed, 
its  glory  and  beauty  were  tarnished,  and  its  rightful 
sovereign  was  supplanted.  Discontent,  rebellion, 
hatred,  sickness,  pain,  sorrow,  and  death,  became  the 
patrimony  of  man.  Being  thus  fallen  and  depraved, 
with  no  power  to  save  themselves,  their  only  hopo 


THE  SECOND  ADAM. 


95 


was  in  the  promise  of  the  second  Adam,  who  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven. 

The  tirst  Adam  being  put  in  possession  of  this  earth 
as  his  heritage  and  dominion,  and  by  sin  lost  it,  with 
his  life  ;  the  second  Adam  must  redeem  and  possess 
the  lost  dominion,  the  very  same  dominion  ;  other- 
wise he  cannot  be  the  second  Adam.  For  if  Christ 
takes  possession  of  a  new  territory  for  himself  and 
his  redeemed  people,  of  that  new  territory  he  will  be 
the  first  Adam  ;  as  there  cannot  be  a  second  without 
a  first.  But  Christ  being  the  second  Adam,  this  earth 
must  therefore  be  the  territorial  dominion  which  he 
will  possess,  and  over  which  he  shall  reign  with  his 
people. 

And  when  the  great  work  of  redemption  is  accom- 
plished, the  children  of  the  second  Adam  will  be 
restored  to  that  royalty  from  which  they  fell ;  and  in 
accomplishing  which  it  becomes  as  necessary  that 
Christ  should  reign  on  this  earth  in  the  person  of 
humanity,  as  that  in  the  person  of  our  nature  he 
should  sufi*er  on  this  earth.  And  thou,  0  Tower  of 
the  flock,  the  stronghold  of  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
unto  thee  shall  it  come,  even  the  first  dominion  ;  the 
kingdom  shall  come  to  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem.'' — 
Micah  iv.  8. 

In  this  verse  Christ  is  the  person  addressed. 
And  thou,  0  Tower  of  the  flock,''  the  first  dominion 
shall  come  to  thee.  The  prophet  asserts  that  the 
dominion  originally  given  to  Adam  shall  come  to 
Christ,  the  second  Adam,  the  Tower  of  the  flock,  the 
Hope  of  the  church.    And    the  kingdom  shall  como 


96 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


to  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem,"  the  church.  That  is, 
through  Christ  the  second  Adam,  the  people  of  God 
shall  be  restored  to  that  royalty,  and  established  in 
their  dominion.  Hence  the  song  of  the  redeemed, 
And  hath  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests, 
and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 

THE  SECOND  ADAM. 

This  is  one  of  the  titles  our  Saviour  bears  among 
his  many  precious  names :  which  is  given  in  refer- 
ence to  the  character  he  will  sustain  in  the  regene- 
rated earth,  as  its  Lord  and  rightful  Sovereign  ;  the 
great  head  of  the  family  of  the  redeemed. 

All  that  was  lost  in  the  first  Adam,  shall  be  more 
than  made  up  to  the  children  of  the  second  Adam. 

As  the  first  Adam  is  the  great  head  and  progeni- 
tor of  the  human  family  in  this  corrupted  and  fallen 
earth,  so  the  secon*d  Adam  shall  be,  The  Everlast- 
ing Father  of  the  redeemed  in  the  earth  renewed, 

the  world  to  come." 

As  we  derive  from  the  first  Adam  our  natural  life 
through  the  blood,  "  thou  shalt  not  eat  the  blood 
thereof,  for  that  is  the  life  thereof,"  saith  God  ;  so 
also  from  the  second  Adam  we  receive  our  spiritual 
life,  through  the  Spirit.  "  If  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  By  the  same  | 
Spirit  he  shall  make  alive  our  mortal  bodies  in  his 
glorious  likeness.    He  is  "  a  quickening  Spirit.'' 

Through  the  first  Adam  we  lost  our  life  with  that 
state  of  blessedness  and  purity,  and  in  their  place  we 


THE  SECOND  ADAM. 


9T 


inherit  misery,  corruption,  and  death  ;  "  wherefore,  as 
by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by 
I  sin,  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all 
have  sinned."  But  the  children  of  the  second  Adam 
shall  escape  the  second  death,  misery  and  corruption, 
and  shall  inherit  eternal  life,  blessedness  and  glory. 

In  the  first  Adam  we  lost  the  glorious  image  of 
Grod,  but  the  redeemed  shall  put  on  that  heavenly 
beauty  again  through  the  second  Adam.  "  I  shall  be 
satisfied  when  I  awake  with  thy  likeness,"  says 
David.  And  Paul  says,  that  Christ  "shall  change 
our  vile  body  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his 
glorious  body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he 
is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself." 

In  the  first  Adam  we  lost  our  inheritance  ;  it  was 
forfeited  and  cursed ;  but  the  second  Adam  has 
"purchased  the  possession"  and  will  remove  the 
curse,  and  restore  it  to  its  Eden  state.  "  He  that  sat 
upon  the  throne  saith,  behold  I  make  all  things 
new."    And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse. 

Through  Eve,  "  the  mother  of  all  living,"  who  was 
the  first  in  the  transgression,  a  usurper  obtained'  the 
possession ;  "  the  Prince  of  this  world,"  that  old 
Serpent,  the  Devil.  But  the  second  Adam  is  the 
seed  of  the  woman  who  shall  bruise  the  serpent's 
head.  "A  stronger  than  he  shall  bind  the  strong 
man  and  divide  the  spoil." 

"  The  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to 
come  ;"  has  thus  said,  "  If  a  man  die  having  no 
children,  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife  and  raise 
ip  seed  unto  his  brother  upon  the  inheritance  of  the 


98 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


dead,  that  his  name  may  not  be  blotted  out  of  Israel.'' 
The  first  Adam  forfeited  his  life,  and  with  him  the 
inheritance  would  have  ceased  to  have  had  a  name 
upon  it.  But  the  second  Adam  has  espoused  his 
brother's  cause,  to  raise  up  the  name  of  the  dead  upon 
his  inheritance.'' 

This  is  beautifully  exemplified  in  Boaz,  when  he 
would  take  Kuth  to  be  his  wife,  the  widow  of  his 
kinsman.  But  he  must  redeem  with  her  the  inherit- 
ance of  her  former  husband,  which  had  been  for- 
feited. He  first  offered  it  to  a  nearer  relative, 
saying,  "  if  thou  wilt  redeem  it,  redeem  it :  but  if 
thou  wilt  not  redeem  it,  then  tell  me,  that  I  may 
know  ;  for  there  is  none  to  redeem  it  besides  thee ; 
and  I  am  after  thee.  And  he  said,  I  will  redeem  it. 
Then  said  Boaz,  what  day  thou  buy  est  the  field  of  the 
hand  of  Naomi,  thou  must  buy  it  also  of  Ruth  the 
Moabitess,  the  wife  of  the  dead,  to  raise  up  the  name 
of  the  dead  upon  his  inheritance.  And  the  kinsman 
said,  I  cannot  redeem  it  for  myself  lest  I  mar  my 
own  inheritance  :  redeem  thou  my  right  to  thyself ; 
for  I  cannot  redeem  it."  Then  Boaz  said  unto  the 
elders,  and  unto  all  the  people,  ye  are  witnesses  this 
day,  that  I' have  bought  all  that  was  Elimelech's,  and 
all  that  was  Chilion's  and  Malon's,  of  the  hand  of 
Naomi.  Moreover,  Ruth  the  Moabitess,  the  wife  of 
Malon,  have  I  purchased  to  be  my  wife,  to  raise  up 
the  name  of  the  dead  upon  his  inlicritance,  that  the 
name  of  the  dead  be  not  cut  off  from  among  his 
brethren,  and  from  the  gates  of  his  place :  ye  are 
witnesses  this  day.    And  all  the  people  that  were  in 


THE  SECOND  ADAM. 


the  gate  and  the  elders  said,  we  are  witnesses/' 
Ruth  iv. 

Thus  the  law  shadowed  forth  that  endearing  rela- 
tion which  shall  exist  between  Christ  and  his  people^ 
as  the  Bride  and  Bridegroom,  and  also  that  in  re- 
deeming her  he  will  redeem  her  inheritance. 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  the  Church,  Fear  not ; 
for  thou  shalt  not  be  ashamed  ;  neither  be  thou  con- 
founded ;  for  thou  shalt  not  be  put  to  shame  ;  for 
thou  shalt  forget  the  shame  of  thy  youth,  and  shalt  not 
remember  the  reproach  of  thy  widowhood  any  more. 
For  thy  Maker  is  thine  husband  :  the  Lord  of  hosts 
is  his  name  ;  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel ;  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  shall  he  be 
called." — Isaiah  liv.  4,  5. 

The  context  shows  that  when  her  Husband  and 
Redeemer  shall  be  called  the  God  of  the  whole  earth, 
will  be  after  the  days  of  her  affliction,  after  the  time 
when  she  will  condemn  all  her  foes  in  judgment. 
"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  called  unto  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb.'^ 

There  is  a  beauty  and  consistency  in  this  truth, 
that  the  earth  shall  be  the  habitation  of  the  saints. 
It  shows  that  the  above  Jewish  law  was  not  an  un- 
meaning ceremony,  and  that  many  declarations  of  the 
Scriptures  commonly  allowed  to  be  hyperbolical  or 
poetical  expressions,  are  plain  truth,  full  of  meaning. 
And  it  also  shows  that  God  will  not  be  thwarted  in 
his  great  purpose  in  creating  this  earth. 

God  has  said,  "  the  earth  abideth  for  ever."  It 
will  not  be  annihilated  because  of  the  adversary. 


100 


THE  Saints'  inheritance. 


For  thus  saith  the  Lord  that  created  the  heavens  j 
God  himself  that  formed  the  earth  and  made  it,  he 
hath  established  it,  he  created  it  not  in  vain  ;  he 
formed  it  to  be  inhabited  ;  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there 
is  none  else."    And  with  this  view  of  God's  truth, 

the  sweet  psalmist  of  IsraeF'  sings ;  not  only  in 
"  the  Spirit,  but  with  the  understanding  also 

"  But  the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth,  and  shall 

delight  themselves  in  the  abundance  of  peace  

The  Lord  knoweth  the  days  of  the  upright,  and  their 

inheritance  shall  be  for  ever  For  such  as  be 

blessed  of  him  shall  inherit  the  earth  ;  and  they  that 

be  cursed  of  him  shall  be  cut  off.  For  the 

Lord  loveth  judgment,  and  forsaketh  not  his  saints  ; 
they  are  preserved  for  ever ;  but  the  seed  of  the 
wicked  shall  be  cut  off.    The  righteous  shall  inherit 

the  land  and  dwell  therein  for  ever  Wait  on 

the  Lord,  and  keep  his  way,  and  he  shall  exalt  thee  to 
inherit  the  land  ;  when  the  wicked  are  cut  off,  thou 
shalt  see  it." — Ps.  xxxvii. 

From  the  above  it  is  clear,  that  the  Psalmist  under- 
stood that  this  earth  would  be  renewed  and  become 
the  abode  of  the  righteous. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  if  you  have  not  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  if  you  have  not  been  adopted  into  the 
family  of  the  second  Adam,  through  whom  God  now 
holds  out  to  you  the  offer  of  returning  to  loyalty,  seek 
at  once  to  be  adopted  into  his  family,  that  you 
may  become  an  heir  to  that  inheritance  through  Him 
who  has  purchased  the  forfeited  possession  ;  by 
whom  and  for  whom  it  was  created.    And  who  has 


i 


THE  SECOND  ADAM. 


101 


promised  to  renew  it  as  of  old,  when  the  morning 
stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy/'  Yes,  more  ;  for  under  his  renewing  hand 
the  inheritance  shall  become  incorruptible,  the  beauty 
and  glory  of  which  shall  never  fade.  You  shall  thus 
be  restored  to  that  princely  royalty,  and  shall  know 
how  glorious  was  that  state  which  God  pronounced 
very  good.  And  "  when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified 
in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that 
believe,^'  you  shall  be  where  he  is,  and  shall  behold 
his  glory  ;  even  the  glory  of  the  second  Adam,  the 
King  of  Glory,  who  shall  have  by  his  own  mighty 
power  obliterated  every  trace  of  the  fall,  so  that 
nothing  shall  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  God^s  holy  moun 
tain,  and  shall,  in  the  plenitude  of  his  Grace,  crown 
his  ransomed  ones  with  eternal  glory  and  gladness, 
and  shall  shed  universal  and  unfading  beauty  over 
the  renovated  world  ;  which  shall  be  the  heritage  of 
the  people  of  God,  under  the  righteous  reign  of  the 
"  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  Heaven." 

"  Thus  heavenward  all  things  tend,  for  all  were  once 
Perfect,  and  all  must  be  at  length  restored. 
So  God  has  greatly  purposed  ;  who  would  else 
In  his  dishonoured  works  himself  endure 
Dishonor,  and  be  wronged,  without  redress. 
Haste,  then,  and  wheel  away  a  shattered  world. 
Ye  slow  revolving  seasons  I    We  would  see 
(A  sight  to  which  our  eyes  are  strangers  yet) 
A  world  that  does  not  dread  and  hate  his  laws^ 
And  suffer  for  its  crime ;  would  learn  how  fair 
The  creature  is  that  God  pronounces  good ; 
How  pleasant  in  itself,  what  pleases  him. 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Here  every  drop  of  honey  hides  a  sting, 
Worms  wind  themselves  into  our  sweetest  flowery 
And  even  the  joy  that  haply  some  poor  heart 
Derives  from  heaven,  pure  as  the  fountain  is, 
Is  sullied  in  the  stream ;  taking  a  taint 
From  touch  of  human  lips,  at  best  impure. 
Oh  for  a  world  in  principle  as  chaste 
As  this  is  gross  and  selfish  !  over  which 
Custom  and  prejudice  shall  bear  no  sway, 
That  govern  all  things  here,  shouldering  aside 
The  meek  and  modest  truth,  and  forcing  her 
To  seek  a  refuge  from  the  tongue  of  strife 
In  nooks  obscure,  far  from  the  ways  of  men ; 
Where  violence  shall  never  lift  the  sword, 
Nor  cunning  justify  the  proud  man's  wrong, 
Leaving  the  poor  no  remedy  but  tears. 

Come  then,  and,  added  to  thy  many  crowii% 
Receive  yet  one,  the  crown  of  all  the  earth, 
Thou  who  alone  art  worthy." — Cowper. 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  EARTH  RENEWED. 

"  Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." — 2  Pet.  iii.  13. 

In  the  fifth  verse  of  this  chapter  the  Apostle  brings 
a  very  solemn  charge  against  a  class  of  persons  who 
would  be  willingly  ignorant  of  certain  truths,  a 
part  of  which  is  contained  in  the  above  text. 

He  says,  "  For  this  they  willingly  are  ignorant  of, 
that  by  the  word  of  God  the  heavens  were  of  old, 
and  the  earth  standing  out  of  the  water  and  in  the 
water  :  whereby  the  world  that  then  was  being  over- 
flowed with  water,  perished :  but  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  which  are  now,  by  the  same  word  are  kept  in 
store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment 
and  perdition  of  ungodly  men." 

The  Apostle  argues  that  notwithstanding  some  do 
not  consider  the  coming  destruction  in  the  light  of 
the  former  one  by  the  flood,  but  suppose  this  earth 
will  be  so  destroyed  that  it  will  become  useless  after 
the  burning  day,  being  willingly  ignorant  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  and  others  doubt  its  ever  burning,  saying, 
"  where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ?  for  since  the 
fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue  as  they  were 
from  the  beginning  of  the  creation."  Yet  Peter  con- 
cludes that  as  truly  as  the  earth  arose  from  the  bap- 


104 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


tism  of  the  flood,  cleansed  from  its  wicked  inhabitants 
to  become  the  habitation  o  those  righteous  persons 
saved  so  also,  although  the  earth,  is  now  by  the  word 
of  the  same  God  "  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire 
against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly 
men,"  when  "the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat,  the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein 
shall  be  burned  up,''  yet  as  truly  by  the  power  of  him 
who  baptized  it  with  water,  shall  the  earth  arise  again 
from  its  baptism  of  fire,  cleansed,  regenerated,  beau 
tified,  a  new  earth,  the  dwelling-place  of  the  right- 
eous, who  shall  be  saved  in  the  day  of  his  wrath.  So 
He  who  sat  upon  the  Throne  has  said,  "Behold  I 
make  all  things  new."  And  although  it  will  be  the 
same  matter  which  composes  this  present  earth,  yet  it 
will  be  as  truly  a  new  earth,  as  he  who  believing  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  becomes  a  "  new  creature," 
being  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire. 
Peter  informs  us  in  the  text,  that  all  this  will  take 
place  according  to  the  promise  of  God. 

All  the  prophets  have  spoken  of  the  restitution  of 
this  earth  more  or  less  distinctly,  but  Isaiah  has 
recorded  more  clearly  this  promise.  "  For  behold  I 
create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth  :  and  the  former 
shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind.  But 
be  ye  glad  and  rejoice  for  ever  in  that  which  I  cre- 
ate :  for  behold  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing  and 
her  people  a  joy.  And  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem, 
and  joy  in  my  people  :  and  the  voice  of  weeping  shall 
be  no  more  heard  in  her,  nor  the  voice  of  crying." — 
Isaiah  Ixv.  17-19. 


THE  EARTH  RENEWED. 


lOc 


How  changed  the  circumstances  of  God's  people 
from  this  to  the  new  earth.  During  probation  the 
church  is  known  as  an  afflicted  and  suffering  people. 
In  this  state  God  addresses  her  with,  "  0  thou  afflicted, 
tossed  with  tempest,  and  not  comforted/'  but  then, 
"Jerusalem  shall  be  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a 
joy."  Then  the  days  of  her  weeping  and  her  mourn- 
ing shall  be  ended.  "  For  as  the  new  heavens  and  the 
new  earth  which  I  will  make,  shall  remain  before  me, 
saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name 
remain.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one 
new-moon  to  another,  and  from  one  Sabbath  day  to 
another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  before  me, 
saith  the  Lord.  And  they  shall  go  forth  and  look 
upon  the  carcases  of  the  men  that  have  transgressed 
against  me  where  their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither 
shall  their  fire  be  quenched  ;  and  they  shall  be  an 
abhorring  to  all  flesh." — Isaiah  Ixvi.  22-24. 

Some  hav#  applied  the  above  scripture  to  the  mil- 
lennial state,  perhaps  correctly.  It  is  certainly  a 
state  of  things  on  the  earth,  as  the  well  known  signs 
of  the  earth  are  given,  "  the  new  moon  and  Sabbath 
day."  And  if  it  is  a  description  of  the  millennial 
state,  then  are  we  sure  that  the  millennium  takes 
place  after  the  resurrection  and  judgment ;  for  it  is 
after  the  wicked  are  doomed  to  their  unending 
punishment;  and  the  righteous  have  entered  upon 
their  eternal  state  of  blessedness.  "  The  voice  of 
weeping  shall  be  no  more  heard  in  her,  nor  the  voice 
of  crying."  But  we  coikclude  that  it  is  even  after 
the  millennium,  in  that  glorious  and  blessed  restitu 
5^ 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


tion,  Avhen  the  oath  of  God  shall  be  verified.  *^  As 
truly  as  I  live  all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
glory  of  the  Lord.'' 

Ezekiel  gives  a  very  clear  testimony  in  the  37th 
chapter  of  his  prophecy,  that  this- earth  will  become 
the  final  abode  of  the  saints.  He  was  among  the 
captives  carried  to  Babylon  ;  and  being  a  prophet,  he 
sought  to  comfort  his  brethren  in  their  deep  afllic- 
tion,  in  their  captivity,  with  the  promise  that  they 
should  go  back  to  Jerusalem,  their  loved  and  happy 
home. 

But  there  was  no  power  in  his  words  to  comfort 
them,  for  they  knew  that  Jeremiah  had  prophesied 
that  seventy  years  should  be  accomplished  in  their 
affliction,  before  they  should  return.  They  knew 
well  that  in  cruel  Babylonish  slavery  they  would  go 
quickly  down  to  death  ;  that  their  bones  would  be 
bleached  in  that  torrid  zone  before  the  seventy  years 
would  be  accomplished.  '  » 

The  captives  were  of  those  who  had  walked  in  the 
highest  circles  of  life,  in  that  refined  city  Jerusalem. 
The  Princes,  the  Nobles,  all  the  most  refined  and 
intelligent  of  Jerusalem  had  been  carried  away  ;  the 
lower  class  alone  had  been  left  to  till  the  land  for 
their  conqueror. 

How  depressing !  How  humiliating  was  their 
sudden  change!  Prom  the  social  circle,  from  the 
feast,  from  the  merry  dance,  from  their  home  and 
country,  they  were  driven  to  a  foreign  land,  to  do 
the  work  of  menial  slaves.  Those  young  men  and 
maidens  whose  fingers  had  been  taught  to  draw  forth 


THE  E^RTH  RENEWED. 


107 


the  sweet  melodies  of  David^s  harp  of  heavenly 
sound,  are  now  made  to  do  heathen  drudgery,  and 
the  crushing  service  of  slaves. 

Ezekiel  informs  them  that  the  time  would  come 
when  they  would  go  back  to  Jerusalem  ;  but  they 
remembered  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  that  seventy 
years  should  be  accomplished  in  their  afflictions,  and 
they  groaned  in  despair,  saying,  "  Our  bones  are 
dried,  and  our  hope  is  lost ;  we  are  cut  off  for  our 
parts."  Seventy  years !  Our  children  may  see  the 
day,  but  we  shall  go  into  the  grave  long  before  that 
time.  Our  hope  is  lost ;  and  we  are  cut  off  from  our 
part  in  the  inheritance  promised  to  Abraham  and  his 
seed. 

God  had  sent  them  into  captivity  for  their  good, 
to  teach  them  what  they  would  not  learn  in  pros- 
perity. They  had  become  lifted  up  in  their  pride 
and  glory,  and  claimed  the  land  as  theirs  ;  they  had 
rejected  the  word  of  God,  who  had  said,  "  The  land 
is  mine,  and  ye  are  strangers  and  sojourners  with 
me  f  and  they  had  turned  from  God  to  the  service 
of  Satan,  the  Prince  of  this  world,'^  by  which  their 
minds  had  become  so  darkened  that  they  could  not 
see  the  way  to  their  inheritance  through  the  promised 
seed,  that  their  Lord  who  had  given  the  promise  to 
Abraham  must  himself,  in  the  person  of  the  promised 
seed,  "  purchase  the  possession,"  that  they  and  their 
land  must  be  redeemed  by  the  offering  of  himself,  and 
that  through  the  resurrection  they  would  enter  it,  as 
their  father  David  and  the  prophets  had  often  sung. 
They  had  resisted  the  teachings  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 


108 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


as  Stephen  has  said,  which  had  been  so  deeply 
fastened  upon  the  mind  of  Abraham,  in  the  offering 
of  Isaac,  the  type  of  the  true  seed.  But  now  they 
learn,  in  sad  reality,  what  they  would  not  learn  in 
prosperity,  "  That  they  were  strangers  and  sojourners 
on  the  earth." 

But  God  is  not  indifferent  to  the  sufferings  of  his 
people.  His  eye  is  ever  open  to  behold  their  afflic- 
tions ;  he  hears  their  cries  and  their  groans,  "  and 
though  he  cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compassion 
according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  For  he 
does  not  afflict  willingly  nor  grieve  the  children  of 
men.'' 

Now,  Ezekiel  is  sent  with  a  message  which  would 
reach  their  case,  causing  even  the  old  men  to  rejoice, 
who  were  bending  with  the  heavy  burden  of  slavery 
over  the  grave.  He  sends  him  to  preach  the  message 
which  Paul  calls  "  the  hope  of  Israel,"  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  and  their  return  to  Zion  with  songs 
of  praise  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads. 

God  is  careful  that  EzekieFs  mind  is  thoroughly 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  his  mission.  He  causes 
him  to  see  a  vision  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
that  going  from  the  scene  he  would  come  before  the 
people  in  the  spirit  of  the  subject.    Ezekiel  says : 

The  hand  of  the  Lord  was  upon  me,  and  carried 
me  out  in  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  set  me  down  in 
the  midst  of  the  valley  which  was  full  of  bones,  and 
caused  me  to  pass  by  them  round  about :  and  behold, 
there  was  very  many  in  the  open  vallej  ;  and  lo,  they 
were  very  dry.    And  he  said  unto  me,  San  mau, 


THE  EARTH  RENEWED. 


109 


can  these  bones  live  ?  and  I  answered,  0  Lord  God 
thou  knowest.  Again  he  said  unto  me,  Prophesy 
upon  these  bones,  and  say  unto  them,  0  ye  dry  bones, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
unto  these  bones  :  Behold,  I  will  cause  breath  to 
enter  into  you,  and  ye  shall  live  ;  and  I  will  lay 
sinews  upon  you,  and  will  bring  up  flesh  upon  you, 
and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  put  breath  in  you,  and 
ye  shall  live  ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord. 
So  I  prophesied  as  he  commanded  me,  and  the  breath 
came  into  them,  and  they  lived,  and  stood  upon  their 
feet,  an  exceeding  great  army.''  This  is  the^ vision, 
and  we  need  not  be  in  doubt  of  what  it  teaches,  for 
God  immediately  explained  it  to  his  servant. 

"  Then  he  said  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  these  bones 
are  the  whole  house  of  Israel  :  behold,  they  say.  Our 
bones  are  dried,  and  our  hope  is  lost :  we  are  cut  oS 
for  our  parts.  Therefore  prophesy  and  say  unto 
them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  Behold,  0  my  peo- 
ple, I  will  open  your  graves,  and  cause  you  to  come 
up  out  of  your  graves,  and  bring  you  into  the  land 
of  Israel.  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord, 
when  I  have  opened  your  graves,  0  my  people,  and 
brought  you  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  shall  put  my 
Spirit  in  you,  and  ye  shall  live,  and  I  shall  place  you 
in  your  own  land :  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  tlie  Lord 
have  spoken  it,  and  performed  it,  saith  the  Lord." 

This  is  the  explanation  which  God  gave  Ezekiel  of 
the  vision,  and  we  need  nothing  plainer  to  sliow  that 
the  earth  will  be  the  final  abode  of  the  redeemed. 
"  Behold,  0  my  people,  I  will  open  your  graves,  and 


110 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


cause  you  to  come  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  wiU 
bring  you  into  the  land  of  IsraeV^  Not  away  into  a 
foreign  dominion,  "  but  into  your  own  land,"  the  land 
of  your  fathers. 

This  vision  has  been  otherwise  explained  by  some, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  teach  the  return  of 
the  Jews  somewhere  down  near  the  end  of  time  ; 
and  while,  we  would  pay  due  deference  to  the 
teachings  of  wise  men,  yet  where  God  has  explained, 
all  other  explanations,  however  interesting,  are  of 
no  authority.  The  above  is  God's  own  explanation 
to  Ezekiel,  to  whom  he  gave  the  vision.  And 
it  needs  not  the  touch  of  any  man's  pen  to  make  it 
more  plain  ;  it  has  in  it  that  clearness  and  beauty 
of  simplicity,  characteristic  of  those  explanations 
which  he  has  been  pleased  to  give  of  parables  and 
visions.  It  commends  itself  to  the  heart  and  under- 
standing ;  it  being  so  suitable  to  the  case  of  his 
people  doomed  to  seventy  years'  captivity  in  Babylon- 
ish slavery,  only  about  ten  of  which  had  expired. — 
Jer.  XXV.  11. 

0  my  people,  cast  not  away  your  hope  ;  your 
bones  will  not  bleach  in  Babylon  for  ever  ;  you  are 
not  cut  off  from  your  part  in  the  promise  to  Abraham. 
What  if  ye  die  in  slavery  ?  I  sent  you  into  slavery 
in  order  to  wean  your  affections  from  those  things 
which  perish  ;  and  I  design  by  it  to  turn  your  hearts 
from  idols  to  me,  that  you  may  understand  what  I 
commanded  you,  that  "  ye  are  strangers  and  sojourn- 
ers in  the  land  with  me,"  as  did  your  father  Abra- 
ham, who  was  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim  in  the  land 


THE  EARTH  RENEWED. 


Ill 


of  promise  ;  having  no  inheritance  in  it,  he  looked  for 
one  to  come,  for  a  city  which  has  foundations,  the 
Holy  City  which  shall  come  down  from  God  out  of 
heaven  ;  when  all  your  enemies  shall  be  destroyed 
and  my  kingdom  shall  come.  Then,  0  my  people,  I 
will  open  your  graves  and  I  will  bring  you  up  out 
of  your  graves,  and  I  will  bring  you,  my  sons  and 
daughters,  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  you  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  king- 
dom of  God.  And  when  I  shall  have  accomplished 
this,  you  shall  know  that  I  the  Lord  your  God  have 
done  it,  and  have  done  it  for  your  good.  Although 
your  enemies  think  they  have  done  it,  and  they  think 
to  crush  you.  Be  still,  0  my  people,  and  know 
that  I  your  God  have  done  it.  Do  not  cast  away 
your  hope,  and  feel  that  your  bones  are  dried,  that 
you  are  cut  off  from  your  inheritance. 

Such  comfort  coming  from  the  servant  of  God  as 
he  repeats  the  message  to  them,  could  cause  them,  in 
deep  affliction,  to  lift  their  bowed  heads  and  humbled 
souls,  and  rejoice  with  gratitude  in  God  their  Saviour, 
even  for  their  trials.  Now  they  can  say,  it  is  good 
for  us  that  we  are  afflicted  ;  for  before  we  were 
afflicted  we  went  astray. 

But  suppose  the  common  exposition  true,  that  is, 
Bome  time  down  near  the  end  of  time,  long  after  the 
seventy  years  are  up,  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 
years  afterwards,  when  their  descendants  are  scat 
tered  among  all  nations  for  rejecting  the  Messiali 
God  shall  cause  them  to  return  to  Jerusalem  again. 


112 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Would  such  a  message  be  consolation,  or  of  anj 
use  to  that  afflicted  people,  suffering  in  despair,  and 
in  cruel  Babylonish  slavery  ? 

"  The  wisdom  of  the  wise  is  foolishness  with  God." 
If  the  knowledge  of  the  saints'  inheritance  had  not 
been  lost  sight  of,  no  person  would  have  thus 
explained  a  vision  which  God  had  clearly  explained  ; 
but  it  became  necessary,  as  the  exposition  which  God 
gSiye  contradicts  positively  the  theory  that  the  saints 
heaven  is  away  somewhere,  as  the  church  has  long 
sung,  beyond  the  bounds  of  time  and  space." 
Though  the  heaven  and  the  earth  are  dissolved 
with  fire,  "nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise, 
look  for  a  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness." 

**So  shall  the  world  go  on, 
To  good  malignant,  to  bad  men  benign. 
Under  her  own  weight  groaning :  till  the  day 
Appear  of  reparation  to  the  just, 
And  vengeance  to  the  wicked  ;  at  return 
Of  him — thy  Saviour  and  thj  Lord  ; 
Last  in  the  clouds  from  heaven,  to  be  revealed 
In  glory  of  the  Father,  to  dissolve 
Satan,  with  his  perverted  world :  then  raise 
From  the  conflagrant  mass,  purged  and  refined, 
New  heavens,  new  earth,  ages  of  endless  date, 
Founded  in  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  love, 
To  bring  forth  fruits,  joy  and  eternal  bliss." 

Milton. 


CHAPTER  XL 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OP  ISRAEL. 

"  And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary :  but  for  a  stone  of  stumbling 
and  for  a  rock  of  offence  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel,  for  a  gin  and 
for  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  And  many  among  them 
shall  stumble  and  fall,  and  be  broken,  and  be  snared,  and  be  taken." 
— Isaiah  viil  14,  15. 

'  The  being  who  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary,  a  covert 
from  the  storm  and  the  wrath,  for  a  hiding  place, 
"  till  the  indignation  be  over  past,"  to  one  class  ;  and 
to  the  other  class,  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of 
offence,  is  no  other  than  the  Lord  of  hosts  Himself. 
While  the  lives  of  his  people  are  hid  with  Christ  in 
God,  He  is  a  consuming  fire  to  those  who  are  with- 
out. The  preaching  of  Christ  is  to  the  Jew  a  stum- 
bling-block, and  to  the  Greek  foolishness  ;  but  to 
them  who  believe,  the  power  of  God  and  wisdom  of 
God. 

But  the  text  is  a  prophecy  respecting  the  visible 
church,  including  both  Jewish  and  Christian,  under 
the  title  of  the  two  houses  of  Israel.  This  applica- 
tion of  the  prophecy  is  confirmed  by  New  Testament 
^  writers  which  will  be  adduced  in  its  place.  It  is  evi- 
dently figurative  language.  Christ  was  not  literally 
a  stone  of  stumbling  and  rock  of  offence,  or  a  gin  and 
a  snare,  but  by  a  wrong  application  of  the  promises  of 


114 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Christ's  coming  they  stumble  morally.  The  two 
houses  of  Israel  are  also  used  in  a  figurative  sense,  to 
represent  the  Jewish  and  Christian  church. 

This  great  and  natural  division  of  the  church  wai 
pointed  out  by  Inspiration  in  a  very  early  age.  The 
first  which  shall  be  adduced  is  found  in  the  blessing 
of  the  sons  of  Joseph  by  the  Patriarch  Jacob.  There 
is  something  very  peculiar  in  the  blessing  which  he 
pronounced  upon  these  two  sons. — Gen.  xlviii. 

He  says  to  Joseph,  "  Thy  two  sons,  Ephraim  and 
Manasseh,  which  were  born  unto  thee  in  the  land  of 
Egypt,  before  I  came  unto  thee  into  Egypt,  are  mine  : 
as  Reuben  and  Simeon,  they  shall  be  mine.  And  thy 
issue,  which  thou  begettest  after  them,  shall  be  thine, 
and  shall  be  called  after  the  name  of  their  brethren 

in  their  inheritance  Now  the  eyes  of  Israel 

were  dim  for  age,  so  that  he  could  not  see,  and  he 
brought  them  near  unto  him  ;  and  he  kissed  them, 
and  embraced  them.  And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  I 
had  not  thought  to  see  thy  face :  and  lo,  God  hath 
showed  me  also  thy  seed.  And  Joseph  brought  them 
out  from  between  his  knees,  and  he  bowed  himself 
with  his  face  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph  took  them 
both,  Ephraim  in  his  right  hand  towards  Israel's  left 
hand,  and  Manasseh  in  his  left  hand  towards  Israel's 
right  hand,  and  brought  them  near  unto  him.  And 
Israel  stretched  out  his  right  hand,  and  laid  it  upon 
Ephraim's  head,  who  was  the  younger,  and  his  left 
hand  upon  Manasseh's  head,  guiding  his  hands  wit- 
tingly ;  for  Manasseh  was  the  first-born. 
"And  he  blessed  Joseph,  and  said,  God,  before  w^om 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL.  115 

my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did  walk,  the  God 
who  fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  this  day,  the  Angel 
which  redeemeti  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads  ;  and 
let  my  name  be  named  on  them,  and  the  name  of  my 
fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  :  and  let  them  grow  into 
a  multitude  in  the  midst  of  the  earth.  And  when 
Joseph  saw  that  his  father  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
the  head  of  Ephraim,  it  displeased  him  :  and  he  held 
up  his  father^s  hand,  to  remove  it  from  Ephraim^s 
head  unto  Manasseh's  head.  And  Joseph  said  unto 
his  father,  not  so,  my  father  :  for  this  is  the  first-born  ; 
put  thy  right  hand  upon  his  head.  And  his  father 
refused,  and  said,  I  know  it,  my  son,  I  know  it :  he 
also  shall  become  a  people,  and  he  also  shall  be  great : 
but  truly  his  younger  brother  shall  be  greater  than 
he,  and  his  seed  shall  become  a  multitude  of  nations. 
And  he  blessed  them  that  day,  saying,  in  thee  shall 
Israel  bless,  saying,  God  make  thee  as  Ephraim  and 
Manasseh  :  and  he  set  Ephraim  before  Manasseh.^' 

In  a  literal  sense  the  history  of  Ephraim^s  descend- 
ants will  not  justify  the  expression,  a  "  multitude  of 
nations  neither  did  he  excel  Manasseh  so  much 
as  to  call  forth  this  superior  blessing  of  the  Patriarch. 
Israel  was  blind  in  his  age,  and  could  not  discern 
the  lads,  and  Joseph  presents  the  eldest  to  his  right 
hand,  but  Inspiration  directs,  and  he  crosses  his  hands, 
placing  his  right  hand  on  the  head  of  the  younger  ; 
and  his  blessing  is  far  superior  to  the  elder,  so  that 
Joseph  would  interpose,  and  remove  his  father's  right 
hand  from  the  younger  to  the  elder,  saying,  "  This, 
my  father,  is  the  eldest  son/'  but  his  father  replied^ 


116 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


"  I  know  it,  my  son,  I  know  it ;  he  also  shall  become 
a  people,  and  he  shall  be  great ;  but  truly  his  younger 
brother  shall  be  greater  than  he,  and  his  seed  shall 
become  a  multitude  of  nations.'' 

But  consider  these  two  sons  of  Joseph,  whose 
mother  was  a  Gentile  woman,  as  representatives  of 
the  Jewish  and  Gentile  Churches,  and  there  is  a 
beauty  in  the  prophecy  which  has  been  strikingly  ful- 
filled. The  Christian,  or  younger  Church,  has  far 
excelled  the  Jewish  Church  in  its  blessings,  its  privi- 
leges, its  superior  light  and  prosperity.  It  has 
spread  among  many  nations.  The  Jewish  Church 
has  been  great,  but  the  Christian  has  truly  been 
greater  ;  so  that  in  many  respects  the  first  has  been 
last,  and  the  last  first. 

The  Patriarch  says,  "  Let  my  name  be  named  on 
them."  The  name  of  Israel  has  never  been  any  more 
especially  given  to  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  than  to 
their  brethren.  But  the  name  of  Israel  has  been  a 
special  name  given  to  both  the  Jewish  and  Christian 
Church,  and  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  thus 
applied  is  complete. 

Does  not  the  Patriarch  also  allude  to  the  two 
Churches  in  blessing  Joseph,  the  father  of  the  two 
sons,  whose  wife  was  a  Gentile,  under  the  beautiful 
emblem  of  the  vine  ?  He  says,  "  Joseph  is  a  fruitful 
bough,  even  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well,  whose  branches 
run  over  the  wall."  Is  there  not  here  an  allusion  to 
that  "middle  wall  of  partition "  between  the  Jews 
and  the  Gentiles,  which  we  are  informed  that  our 
Lord  has  broken  down  ? 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL.  117 

This  same  division  of  the  Church  runs  through  all 
the  prophets.  They  frequently  commence  with  a 
prophecy  which  applies  especially  to  the  Jewish 
Church,  and  then  immediately  glance  at  the  Chris- 
tian Church  as  the  antitype,  and  apply  nearly  the 
same  to  it.  Keeping  this  in  view  the  prophets  are 
more  easily  understood.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  Jewish  Church,  while  in  the  wilderness, 
says,  "  Now  all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for 
ensamples  :  and  they  are  written  for  our  admonition, 
upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come." — 1  Cor. 
X.  11. 

The  Apostle  has  also  taken  up  the  subject  of  the 
textj  and  confirmed  this  view,  making  what  Isaiah 
calls  the  two  houses  of  Israel,  the  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian Churches,  Heb.  iii.  1-6.  The  New  Testament 
must  be  our  commentary  for  the  Old,  in  all  places 
where  it  has  spoken  on  the  subject.  He  says, 
"  Wherefore,  holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the  heaven 
ly  calling,  consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of 
our  profession,  Christ  Jesus.  Who  was  faithful  to 
him,  who  appointed  him,  as  also  Moses  was  faithful 
in  all  his  house.  .  .  .  And  Moses  verily  was  faithful  in 
all  his  house  as  a  servant,  for  a  testimony  of  those 
things  which  are  to  be  spoken  after.  But  Christ  as 
a  son  over  his  own  house,  whose  house  are  we,  if  we 
hold  fast  the  confidence,  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope 
firm  unto  the  end.'' 

This  testimony  from  the  Apostle  makes  the  subject 
very  clear,  that  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  Churches  are 
the  two  houses  of  Israel.    Moses  is  represented  as 


118 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


being  faithful  over  his  house,  the  Jewish  Church,  as 
a  servant,  and  Christ  as  a  Son  over  his  own  house, 
the  Christian  Church.  There  were  not  two  Jewish 
houses  of  Israel  in  being  when  Christ  came  ;  there- 
fore the  two  houses  of  which  Paul  speaks  are  the  only 
two  on  which  the  prophecy  could  be  fulfilled. 

By  referring  to  Ezek.  xxxvii.  the  reader  will  see 
that  the  prophet  takes  the  name  of  Ephraim  to  repre- 
sent the  Christian  Church,  and  that  of  Judah  to 
represent  the  Jewish  Church.  He  keeps  in  view  the 
same  great  division  under  the  figure  of  two  sticks. 

He  says,  "The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me 
again,  saying,  moreover  thou  son  of  man,  take  the 
one  stick,  and  write  upon  it  for  Judah,  and  for  the 
children  of  Israel  his  companions  ;  then  take  another 
stick  and  write  upon  it  for  Joseph,  the  stick  of 
Ephraim,  and  for  all  the  house  of  Israel  his  com- 
panions. And  join  them  one  to  another  into  one 
stick  ;  and  they  shall  become  one  in  thy  hand.  And 
when  the  children  of  thy  people  shall  speak  unto 
thee,  saying,  wilt  thou  not  show  us  what  thou 
meanest  by  these  ?  Say  unto  them,  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  ;  behold  I  will  take  the  stick  of  Joseph 
which  is  in  the  hand  of  Ephraim,  and  the  tribes  of 
Israel  his  fellows,  and  will  put  them  with  him,  even 
with  the  stick  of  Judah,  and  will  make  them  one 
stick,  and  they  shall  be  one  in  my  hand. . .  And  I  will 
make  them  one  nation  in  the  land  upon  the  moun- 
tains of  Israel,  and  one  king  shall  be  king  to  them 
all ;  and  they  shall  be  no  more  two  nations,  neither 
shall  they  be  divided  into  two  kingdoms  any  more  at 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL. 


119 


all.  And  David  my  servant  shall  be  king  over 
them  :  and  they  shall  have  one  shepherd  :  they  shall 
also  walk  in  my  judgments,  and  observe  my  statutes, 
and  do  them.  And  they  shall  dwell  in  the  land  that 
I  have  given  unto  Jacob  my  servant  wherein  your 
fathers  have  dwelt,  and  they  shall  dwell  therein 
even  they  and  their  children,  and  their  children's 
children  for  ever  ;  and  my  servant  David  shall  be 
their  prince  for  ever." 

David,  the  king  of  Israel,  had  been  dead  many 
years  when  Ezekiel  uttered  this  prophecy  ;  therefore, 
the  David  who  is  to  reign  over  them  is  the  son 
of  David,  the  Messiah,  the. King  of  Israel.  And  the 
time  when  He  shall  reign  will  be  at  the  great 
gathering  of  the  subjects  of  his  kingdom.  When  he 
shall  send  forth  his  angels  and  gather  his  elect,  from 
among  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  at  which  time  they 
shall  have  one  Shepherd  ;  for  Christ  shall  be  both 
Shepherd  and  King.  "  My  tabernacle  also  shall  be 
with  them :  yea,  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people."  This  is  the  same  language  which 
the  Revelator  also  applies  to  the  heavenly  state. 

The  testimony  of  Christ  also  confirms  this  appli- 
cation. He  keeps  in  view  the  same  great  division 
and  the  same  final  union  :  but  he  brings  still  another 
figure  to  represent  the  two  houses,  or  the  Jewish  and 
Gentile  churches  ;  he  calls  tliem  two  folds.  John  x. 
16,  He  says,  "  Other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of 
this  fold :  them  also  I  must  bring  ;  and  they  shall 
hear  my  voice  ;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  cm* 
Shepherd." 


120 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


The  prophet  says  that  in  that  day  they  shall  have 
one  King  and  one  Shepherd,  and  Christ  says,  one 
fold  and  one  Shepherd  ;  they  both  evidently  allude 
to  the  final  gathering  of  his  people  in  the  everlasting 
kingdom. 

There  is  more  proof  that  might  be  brought  for- 
ward, some  of  which  will  be  seen  as  we  pursue  the 
subject,  in  the  application  which  the  Saviour  makes 
of  it ;  but  the  above  is  sufficient  to  prove  that  the 
two  houses  in  the  text  are  the  Jewish  and  Gentile 
churches. 

Oh  then,  awake,  awake,  let  the  Gentile  church 
awake,  and  read  her  fearful  doom.  "  And  he  shall 
be  for  a  sanctuary  ;  but  for  a  stone  of  stumbling 
and  for  a  rock  of  offence  to  both  the  houses  of 
Israel,  for  a  gin  and  for  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem.  And  many  among  them  shall  stumble, 
and  fall,  and  be  broken,  and  be  snared,  and  be 
taken.'' 

Though  this  prophecy  by  Isaiah  was  given  some 
seven  or  eight  hundred  years  before  its  terrible 
fulfilment  was  accomplished  on  the  first  house,  the 
Jewish  church,  yet  in  due  time  it  was  fully  verified. 
They  misunderstood  the  promises  of  Christ's  coming  ; 
they  had  dwelt  especially  on  those  promises  that 
refer  to  his  second  coming  to  reign  gloriously, 
which  they  applied  to  this  corruptible  state,  over- 
looking his  coming  in  humiliation  to  sufl'er,  so  that 
he  proved  to  them  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock 
of  offence.  And  the  mass  of  the  Jewish  church, 
even   their   learned   Doctors   and   Scribes,   "  the 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OP  ISRAEL. 


121 


builders  rejected  the  stone  which  became  the  head 
of  the  corner  f  they  stumbled  and  fell,  and  were 
broken  and  snared,  and  finally  destroyed. 

While  we  can  read  in  their  history  so  dreadful 
and  terrible  a  fulfilment  of  that  part  of  the  prophecy 
wnich  applied  to  them,  shall  we  flatter  ourselves 
that  the  second  house  will  not  stumble  and  fall? 
Has  God  fulfilled  the  prophecy  to  the  letter  thus 
far,  and  will  the  remaining  part  fail  ?  Will  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  read  this  fearful 
prophecy  without  examining  the  evidence  of  his 
acceptance  ?  If  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  can  you 
claim  that  your  life  has  been  more  strictly  devoted 
than  were  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ?  concerning 
whom  Jesus  said,  except  your  righteousness  exceed 
theirs,  "  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God." 

Let  us  consider  the  testimony  of  Jesus  concerning 
the  stone  of  stumbling.  He  says  (Matt.  xxi.  44), 
"  And  whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone,  shall  be 
broken  ;  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will 
grind  him  to  powder.'^ 

Christ  is  that  "  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
the  same  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner."  Who 
but  the  Jewish  church  fell  on  Christ  ?  They  fell  on 
him,  saying,  "  away  with  him,  away  with  him,  crucify 
him,  crucify  him  f  and  they  sealed  their  own  fearful 
doom. 

Hear  Him,  on  whom  they  fell  with  such  dreadful 
malice,  as  he  weeps  over  their  terrible  fate.  "  And 
when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city  and  wept 

6 


122 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


oyer  it,  saying,  if  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at 
least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
thy  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes. 
For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies 
shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  shall  compass  thee 
round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and  shall  lay 
thee  eyen  with  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within 
thee  ;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon 
another  :  because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy 
visitation." — Luke  xix.  41-44. 

They  were  truly  broken,  their  lovely  Jerusalem 
destroyed,  and  they  broken  from  being  a  nation  or  a 
government  to  this  day.  And  still  they  are  a 
scattered  and  peeled  people  ;  the  full  truth  of  the 
prophecy  has  come  upon  them. 

Will  not  the  remaining  part  of  the  prophecy  be 
fulfilled  ?  It  will  be  accomplished  ;  "  not  one  jot  or 
tittle  shall  in  any  wise  fail  till  all  be  fulfilled."  But 
will  it  fall  as  heavily  upon  the  second  house,  or 
Gentile  church  ?  As  much  heavier  as  the  antitype  is 
greater  than  the  type.  As  much  heavier  as  our  light 
and  privileges  are  superior. 

And  whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall  be 
broken."  The  Jewish  church  has  fallen  on  it,  and 
was  broken,  as  we  have  seen.  But  on  whomsoever 
it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind  to  powder." 

He  will  not  come  the  second  time,  the  man  of  grief 
and  sorrow  to  be  fallen  on  and  crucified  ;  but  tc 
reign  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  ;"  to  fall 
upon  his  enemies,  and  he  will  "grind  them  to  pow 
der." 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL. 


123 


This  agrees  with  the  teachings  of  Christ,  where  he 
speaks  without  a  figure.  He  specified,  among  the 
persons  who  would  be  shut  out  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  when  it  shall  be  established,  ministers  and  pro- 
fessors of  religion  :  "  Many  will  say  to  me,  in  that 
day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and 
in  thy  name  have  done  many  wonderful  works? 
And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew 
you  ;  depart  from  me  ye  that  work  iniquity.'^ — Matt, 
vii.  22,  23. 

Here  the  Saviour  evidently  alludes  to  professedly 
gospel  ministers,  who  claim  to  have  done  many  won- 
derful work^  m  the  name  of  Christ.  Perhaps  have 
been  through  a  great  many  revivals  of  religion,  and 
baptized  and  received  many  into  the  Church.  They 
seem  to  be  honest  in  claiming  that  they  have  done 
much  for  his  cause  and  in  his  name.  Not  a  few  of 
this  class  who  will  be  thus  rejected,  but  Jesus  says 
that  there  will  be  "  many." 

Of  professors,  and  those  who  use  the  form  of 
prayer,  He  says,  "  Not  every  one  who  saith  unto  me. 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven." 

Again,  speaking  of  his  second  coming  to  judgment, 
and  of  the  signs  which  should  precede  his  coming, 
He  says,  "  Who  then  is  a  faithful  and  wise  servant, 
whom  his  lord  hath  made  ruler  over  his  household,  to 
give  them  meat  in  due  season." — Matt.  xxiv.  45.  The 
person  brought  to  view  here  is  the  faithful  minister 


124 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


of  the  gospel,  whom  the  Lord  has  made  a  ruler  in 
his  household  to  give  timely  instruction,  "meat  in 
due  season." 

"  Who  then,''  then  refers  to  the  time  he  had  been 
talking  about,  when  those  signs  would  be  fulfilled; 
just  previous  to  his  coming.  Then,  if  he  is  giving 
timely  instruction  to  the  household,  "  Blessed  is  that 
servant  whom  his  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find 
so  doing."  Not  all  of  them  shall  stumble  and  be 
snared  ;  to  the  faithful  "  He  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary." 
"  But  and  if  that  evil  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart, 
My  lord  delayeth  his  coming  ;  and  shall  begin  to 
smite  his  fellow-servants,  and  to  eat  and  drink  with 
the  drunken." 

The  unfaithful  minister  who  loved  the  praises  of 
men,  thinketh  in  his  heart,  that  the  Lord  will  not 
come  as  soon  as  his  fellow-servant  teaches,  and  shoul- 
ders aside  his  fellow-servants,  and  would  bring  into 
disrepute  the  idea  of  the  Lord^s  coming  so  soon.  He 
"  smites  his  fellow-servant,"  "  and  eats  and  drinks  with 
the  drunken."  He  does  not  get  drunk,  or  even  drink 
ardent  spirits.  But  the  charge  our  Lord  brings 
against  him,  is,  "  he  eats  and  drinks  with  the  drunk- 
en." He  mingles  with  the  world  in  the  fashionable 
circles,  where  the  licentious  receives  the  warm  hand 
of  greeting,  as  well  as  those  who  occasionally  get 
intoxicated  ;  he  consecrates  their  feasts  by  saying 
grace  over  them  ;  he  receives  the  friendship  of  the 
world,  and  closes  their  festivals  with  prayer.  "  Ye  ask, 
and  receive  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss,  that  ye  may 
consume  it  upon  your  lusts.    Ye  adulterers  and  adul- 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL. 


125 


tresses,  know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of  the  world 
is  enmity  with  God  ?  Whosoever,  therefore,  will  be 
a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God." — James 
iv.  3,  4. 

"  Church  feasts,"  with  the  table  spread  with  all  the 
luxuries  that  the  heart  could  lust  for,  and  the  vile, 
and  the  drunkard,  and  the  licentious,  and  the  church 
member,  and  the  minister,  mingle  at  the  same  table ; 
the  profits  of  which  are  to  go  for  charitable  purposes. 

The  poor  man  returning  from  the  toil  of  the  day, 
and  seeing  the  stir  about  the  house  of  feasting, 
inquires,  "what  is  going  on  here?"  and  is  informed 
that  "  it's  a  Church  feast."  "  Well,"  he  says,  "  I'm  a 
member  of  the  church,  I  will  go  in  and  enjoy  its  bless- 
ings." He  is  met  at  the  door ;  "  a  dollar,  sir,  for 
admittance."  He  stands  aside,  while  his  godly 
brother  passes  in,  and  his  ungodly  neighbor  also. 
He  thinks  of  his  poor  family  at  home,  and  of  the 
dollar,  and  of  the  Church-feast.  And  passing  home 
he  says  to  himself,  "  surely  my  poverty  has  shut  me 
from  these  heavenly  feasts  of  charity,  where  my  richer 
brethren  enjoy  those  choice  blessings  of  my  God," 
He  loves  his  brethren,  but  he  is  sad.  He  takes  his 
Bible  and  opens  it  to  find  something  to  justify  them, 
and  to  comfort  his  heart ;  and  he  reads  Isaiah  Iv.  1, 
"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ; 
yea  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and 
without  price." 

Now  he  says  to  himself,  "  I  wonder  if  this  Church- 
feast,  for  charitable  purposes,  which  excludes  those 


126 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


who  have  no  money,  is  the  fulfilment  of  this  free 
and  glorious  gospel  feast,  foretold  by  the  prophet/' 
These  feasts  abound  where  this  promiscuous  assembly 
of  "  charitable  people''  meet,  and  revel  in  a  sumptuoua 
feast  professedly  for  Christ's  sake,  to  sustain  his 
cause.  A  very  similar  feast  comes  off  once  a  year, 
with  few  exceptions,  at  the  minister's  house,  where  the 
licentious  and  the  pure  bring  in  their  donations  and 
mingle  in  jollity  and  mirth. 

"Eating  and  drinking  with  the  drunken,"  "The 
Lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a  day  when  he 
looketh  not  for  him,  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not 
aware  of,  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  him 
his  portion  with  the  hypocrites  :  there  shall  be  weep- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

The  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  speaks  clearly  on 
this  subject.  This  parable  is  in  one  respect  unlike 
the  rest  of  the  parables.  This  is  in  the  future,  while 
the  rest  are  given  in  the  present  tense ;  "  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  sower  ;"  "  the  king-  • 
dom  of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  net ;"  they  are  all  in 
the  present  tense,  but  this  is  in  the  future.  "  Then 
shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten  vir- 
gins which  took  their  lamps  and  went  forth  to  meet 
the  bridegroom.  And  five  of  them  were  wise  and  five 
were  foolish."  This  parable  was  given  to  represent 
a  state  of  things  in  the  church  just  previous  to  the 
coming  of  Christ,  the  Bridegroom. 

The  main  design  of  this  parable  is  to  teach  that 
many  professors  of  religion  who  are  alive  on  the 
earth  when  the  Lord  comes  will  be  rejected  ;  that 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL.  127 


tliey  will  be  sadly  disappointed,  and  seek  to  prepare 
themselves  to  enter  the  marriage  feast  after  it  is  too 
late.  Christ  comes  suddenly,  and  the  door  of  mercy 
is  for  ever  closed. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  just  one  half  is  to  be  ' 
rejected ;  it  may  be  more  in  some  congregations, 
while  it  may  be  less  in  others — more  alive  and  con- 
secrated to  God ;  but  at  least  it  speaks  a  fearful  mes- 
sage to  the  church. 

Christian  Reader,  if  the  line  was  to  be  drawn  this 
day,  and  one  half  of  the  church  of  which  you  are  a 
member  eternally  rejected,  what  a  fearful  anxiety 
would  be  awakened  in  your  heart!  These  plain 
declarations  of  Christ  concerning  ministers  and 
people  agreeing  so  perfectly  with  the  sure  word  of 
prophecy^'  of  the  two  houses  of  Israel,  should  cause 
every  professor,  minister,  and  people,  to  examine 
carefully  by  the  word  of  God  the  evidence  of  their 
acceptance. 

When  Jesus  declared  that  one  of  the  twelve  would 
betray  him,  what  an  intense  anxiety  was  awakened 
among  the  eleven  !  "  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  Lord,  is  it  I 
burst  forth  from  the  hearts  of  those  dear  disciples 
who  loved  him.  And  now  it  is  to  be  feared  that 
those  overwhelming  truths  which  assure  us  that  the 
mass  of  professors  will  stumble  at  the  stone  of 
stumbling,  which  is  still  in  Zion,  and  be  eternally 
rejected  from  the  inheritance  of  the  saints,  will  only 
awaken  the  few  who  love  him. 

But  if  the  thought  of  exclusion  from  being  where 
he  is,  and  beholding  his  glory,  rends  your  heart,  tha 


128 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


evidence  for  you  is  far  more  favorable  than  though 
you  could  read  those  fearful  declarations  of  God's 
word  unmoved. 

The  Jewish  church  lost  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
inheritance  which  God  had  promised  that  the  faith- 
ful should  possess,  when  the  land  should  be  redeemed 
in  the  glorious  restitution  ;  to  be  enjoyed  in  the 
resurrection  state,  when  the  subjects  of  that  inherit- 
ance should  also  be  redeemed  from  the  grave,  and 
should  "return  to  Zion  with  songs  of  praise  and 
everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads."  And  they  applied 
those  blessed  promises  to  the  fathers,  that  the  saints 
should  reign  gloriously  on  the  earth,  to  this  corrupt- 
ible state  and  time  of  trial,  to  be  fulfilled  in  the 
flesh,  at  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  They  over- 
looked the  promise  of  his  coming  in  humiliation,  to 
suffer  and  to  redeem ;  having  their  minds  fixed  on 
that  glorious  coming  to  reign,  the  very  promises  of 
his  coming  became  to  them  "  a  stone  of  stumbling, 
and  a  rock  of  offence." 

The  prophets  had  foretold  both  his  first  and 
second  coming  ;  the  first  in  humiliation,  the  second 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  as  seen  in  Dan.  vii.,  at  the 
setting  of  the  Ancient  of  days.  Says  Daniel,  "  I  saw 
in  the  night  vision,  and  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to 
the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near 
before  him.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion, 
and  glory,  and  a  kingdom  that  all  people,  nations, 
and  languages  should  serve  him  :  his  dominion  is  an 
everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL. 


129 


his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed." 
This  coming  is  still  future. 

With  their  minds  fixed  on  such  a  glorious  coming 
of  Christ,  they  could  at  once  stifle  all  conviction  that 
the  humble  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  Messiah,  And 
when  Christ  gave  them  the  evidence  of  his  divine 
mission  so  that  some  inquired,  "  When  Christ 
Cometh  will  he  do  more  miracles  than  these  which 
this  man  hath  done?^^  they  could  set  aside  all  his 
claim  to  the  Messiahship  by  appealing  to  those 
prophecies  which  foretold  his  glorious  coming. 
They  replied,  "  Howbeit,  we  know  this  man,  whence 
he  is  :  but  when  Christ  cometh  no  man  knoweth 
whence  he  is,"  John  vii.  27,  31.  They  had  evi- 
dently fixed  their  minds  on  such  prophecies  as  the 
above  in  Daniel,  of  that  coming  which  is  still  future, 
and  overlooking  his  coming  in  humiliation  to  suffer, 
he  became  to  them  "  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock 
of  offence." 

The  Gentile  Church  has  also  lost  sight  of  the  inhe- 
ritance, and  they  delight  to  sing  that  it  is  away  "  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  time  and  space."  Believing  that 
their  heaven  is  away  beyond  the  stars,  they  conclude 
that  those  prophecies  which  foretell  the  glory  of 
Christ^s  kingdom  upon  the  earth  must  be  in  this 
mortal  life.  The  Jewish  Church  anticipated  a  tri- 
umphant reign  in  this  life  when  the  Messiah  should 
come  ;  she  stumbled  and  was  rejected  of  God. 

The  Gentile  Church  has  become  equally  fascinated 
with  the  hope  of  a  triumphant  reign,  during  the  time 
allotted  for  her  trials.    The'  Church  now  believing 

6* 


130 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


the  error  of  the  Jewish  Church  consisted  in  expect 
ing  a  literal  king  ;  to  avoid  this  error,  she  claims 
that  she  has  a  spiritual  king,  who  will  reign  till  he 
accomplish  for  her  a  glorious  triumph  in  this  life  ; 
though  she  has  changed,  as  respects  the  character  of 
her  king,  her  hope  and  expectations  are  the  same. 
How  can  she  but  stumble  ? 

The  error  of  the  Jewish  Church  did  not  consist  so 
much  in  the  nature  of  the  king  she  expected,  as  in  the 
nature  of  her  hope — of  what  he  would  accomplish  for 
her.  The  Jews  would  have  had  no  objection  if 
Christ  had  told  them  that  he  would  become  their 
spiritual  king,  providing  he  had  also  promised  them 
victory,  glory,  and  honor  in  this  life,  instead  of  dis- 
honor, reproach,  suffering,  and  death.  If  he  had 
preached  to  them  that  their  beloved  Jerusalem  should 
become  a  glory  in  all  the  earth,  and  that  the  worship 
of  the  God  of  Israel  would  become  the  universal  wor- 
ship of  the  nations,  and  that "  against  Israel  shall  not 
a  dog  move  his  tongue,'^  instead  of  telling  them  that 
Jerusalem  should  be  destroyed  and  trodden  down  of 
the  Gentiles,  that  his  followers  would  be  despised 
and  persecuted,  that  'men  would  think  they  were 
doing  God  service  in  putting  them  to  death,  and  that 
they  should  be  hated  of  all  nations. 

It  was  the  doctrine  he  taught  which  made  them 
hate  him.  If  they  embraced  his  doctrine  all  their 
hopes  must  be  given  up.  Their  prospect  was  similar 
to  the  prospect  held  before  the  Gentile  Church.  To 
.  renounce  their  hope,  and  embrace  the  doctrine  taught 
oj  the  Saviour,  would  have  been  to  give  up  what 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  ISRAEL. 


131 


they  supposed  to  be  the  object  of  Messiah^s  coming  ; 
just  as  it  is  now  claimed  by  those  who  hope  for  a  mil- 
lennium in  probation.  A  very  singular  objection  is 
now  brought  against  the  doctrine  we  advocate.  It  is 
said,  that  to  give  up  the  idea  that  the  world  will  be 
converted  would  abate  the  zeal  to  labor  for  the  salva- 
tion of  men.  Singular  indeed !  If  two  men  had  each 
a  field  of  grain  ready  for  harvest,  which  of  the  two 
would  have  the  greatest  stimulant  to  labor  ?  the  one 
assured  that  the  weather  would  be  fair,  that  the 
grain  would  be  all  secured  safely  in  the  garner, 
whether  he  labored  or  not  some  one  would  gather  it, 
surely  ;  the  other  knew  not  what  hour  the  storm 
might  beat  his  grain  into  the  dust,  only  assured  that 
while  there  was  time,  if  he  labored  his  labor  should 
not  be  in  vain.  It  is  evident  that  the  last  of  the  two 
would  put  forth  all  his  energy.  We  have  the  promise 
of  God  that  if  we  labor,  our  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain 
in  the  Lord  ;  therefore  we  will  seek  to  save  men  as 
brands  plucked  from  the  burning.  But  on  the  con- 
trary, when  the  Christian  laborer  meets  the  strong 
foe  and  begins  to  "  wrestle,  not  against  flesh  and  blood, 
but  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the 
rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places,"  he  is  liable  to  be  tempted 
to  abate  his  arduous  work  by  that  song  of  peace,  as  it 
is  whispered  in  his  ear,  "  why  should  you  be  so 
anxious  ?  why  should  you  sacrifice  your  all  in  the 
cause,  so  long  as  you  know  that  the  world  will  all  be 
converted  ?   Don^t  be  so  excited  about  this  great  tide 


132 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


of  wickedness  ;  God  will  over-rule  it  all  to  advance 
the  salvation  of  the  world." 

Does  not  this  flattering  prospect  before  the 
Christian  church  already  cause  her  to  begin  to 
stumble  ?  That  expected  coining  reign  of  peace  is 
claimed  to  be  an  incentive  for  good  works,  instead 
of  the  love  of  Christ.  If  covetousness  is  manifested 
in  the  church,  they  are  told  that  "  they  must  open 
their  hearts  and  be  more  liberal  before  the  millennia] 
glory  can  be  introduced,  instead  of  for  His  sake 
who  has  purchased  them  with  his  own  blood.  If 
the  church  has  fallen  into  a  life  which  needs  reform, 
they  are  told  that  "  they  must  break  off  these  sins 
before  the  millennium  can  be  introduced,"  instead 
of  laying  aside  their  sins  for  the  sake  of  Him  whom 
they  wound  in  the  house  of  his  friends. 

When  an  apostle  would  administer  consolation  to 
the  church  in  her  afflictions  and  trials,  he  says,  "  be 
patient  therefore,  brethren,  unto  the  coming  of  the 
Lord.  ...  Be  ye  also  patient ;  stablish  your  hearts  : 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh." — James 
V.  7,  8.  But  with  this  prospect  of  peace  before  the 
church,  to  speak  of  Christ's  coming,  will  make  them 
impatient,  and  cause  offence.  "He  shall  be  for  a 
stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a  rock  of  offence." 

In  view  of  these  facts,  who  can  conclude  otherwise 
than  that  the  mass  of  the  nominal  Christian  church 
will  be  rejected  of  God  at  the  introduction  of  the 
coming  dispensation  of  millennial  glory,  and  personal 
roign  of  Christ,  as  surely  as  the  Jewish  church  waa 


THE  TWO  HOUSES  OP  ISRAEL. 


133 


at  the  introduction  of  the  present  gospel  dispensa- 
tion? 

Oh  I  may  these  truths  of  God^s  word  have  a  salu- 
tary effect  in  awakening  and  making  ready  a  people 
for  the  coming  kingdom  and  glory  of  God,  which 
shall  be  revealed  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD  BY  WHICH  TO  TRY  ALL  RELI- 
GIOUS TEACHING — AND  THE  WAY  TO  KNOW  THE 
TRUTH. 

To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to 
this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them." — Isaiah  viii.  20. 

In  this  text  the  prophet  proclaims  the  word  of  the 
Lord  as  the  standard  or  test  by  which  to  try  all  pro- 
fessedly religious  teaching.  Not  only  the  suspected 
heretic,  and  the  wild  enthusiast,  but  also  the  teaching 
of  the  good  old  divine,  should  be  brought  to  the  test 
which  God  has  given.  Said  our  Lord,  "  Take  heed 
that  no  man  deceive  you  f  no  man,  good  or  bad. 
Have  you  a  good  sound  orthodox  divine?  God  still 
requires  that  all  he  teaches  be  carefully  compared 
with  the  infallible  standard,  the  word  of  God. 

The  Bereans  "  were  more  noble  than  those  of  Thes- 
salonica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with  all  rea- 
diness of  mind,  and  searched  the  scriptures  daily 
whether  those  things  were  so,"  when  an  inspired 
apostle  was  the  teacher.  The  very  best  of  men  may 
err,  not  being  inspired  ;  should  they  preach  only  the 
truth,  and  you  receive  it,  the  blessing  falls  far  short 
of  what  you  might  have  received  had  you  diligently 
compared  it  with  the  word  of  God.    Learning  by 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


13£ 


that  infallible  guide  that  what  is  taught  is  really  true, 
we  become  "  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  truth  f  i1 
gets  a  firm  hold  of  our  hearts,  so  that  the  enemy 
cannot  "  catch  away"  the  precious  seed. 

God  might  have  inspired  all  of  his  ministers,  but 
he  has  seen  fit  to  withhold  from  them  plenary  inspi- 
ration, since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  in  its  place 
he  has  given  a  greater  blessing,  the  full  and  complete 
volume  of  his  revealed  will,  "  the  holy  scriptures 
which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation, 
through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  in  his 
providence  he  has  caused  it  to  be  so  universally 
spread  abroad  that  every  one  may  have  access  to  it. 

Although  it  is  well  understood  that  God^s  servants 
whom  he  has  commissioned  to  preach  the  gospel  aro 
not  inspired,  yet  what  those  teach  who  are  acknow 
ledged  to  be  his  ministers,  is  generally  received  as 
truth,  without  comparing  it  with  God's  word,  by 
which  he  has  commanded  us  to  try  all  religious  teach- 
ing ;  and  it  has  become  almost  sacrilege  to  call  in 
question,  to  examine  the  teachings  of  the  acknow- 
ledged sound  minister. 

By  whom  could  the  church  be  more  easily  led  into 
error  than  by  her  approved  theologians  should  they 
chance  to  err?  But  will  God  sufi'er  those  who  have 
so  much  influence  in  his  church  to  fall  into  error? 
History  reveals  the  fearful  truth  that  the  popular  and 
most  influential  teachers  have  been  the  very  ones 
hitherto  who  have  led  the  church  astray.  It  was  the 
popular  prophets  who  led  Israel  into  idolatry  in  the 
days  of  Elijah.    They  were  the  most  honored  men  in 


136 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


the  nation ;  four  hundred  of  them  eat  at  the  Queen's 
table. — 1  Kings  xviii.  19. 

The  popular  and  learned  Rabbles,  whose  wisdom 
and  learning  are  quoted  to  this  day,  so  effectually  led 
the  people  into  error  by  their  traditions,  that  in 
keeping  of  ^them,  they  transgressed  the  commandments 
of  God ;  and  their  religion  became  so  heartless,  that 
Christ  informed  them  that  it  was  merely  an  outward 
show.  It  was  the  reputed  orthodox  ministry  who  led 
the  Christian  church  into  Mystical  Babylon,  to  wor- 
ship saints,  relics,  and  images. 

God  decidedly  disapproves  an  undue  confidence  in  a 
fellow  being  for  what  concerns  our  eternal  salvation. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord,  cursed  be  the  man  that  trust- 
eth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm.'-  We  are 
called  on  to  "try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of 
God."  How  shall  we  try  them  ?  "  To  the  law  and 
to  the  testimony ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this 
word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them."  Christ 
has  commanded,  saying,  "  Take  heed  that  no  man 
deceive  you."  The  true  and  humble  minister  of 
Christ,  whose  object  is  the  salvation  of  the  people, 
would  gladly  have  all  he  preaches  carefully  compared 
with  the  word  of  God.  He  not  only  prays  that  the 
truth  may  have  a  salutary  effect,  but  also  that  what 
of  error  may  have  escaped  his  lips  might  do  no 
harm. 

It  is  like  Satan  to  seek,  not  the  obscure,  but  the 
influential  to  aid  his  cause,  and  we  see  in  the  history 
of  the  past  that  his  success  has  been  very  great. 
Let  popular  men  therefore  beware.    "  Wo  unto  you 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


137 


when  all  men  speak  well  of  you,"  said  Christ,  "  for 
so  did  they  unto  the  false  prophets."  If  possible 
Satan  will  gain  them  to  be  his  tools  ;  "  And  no 
marvel ;  for  Satan  himself  is  transformed  into  an 
angel  of  light.  Therefore  it  is  no  great  thing  if  his 
ministers  also  be  transformed  as  the  ministers  of  i 
righteousness,"  2  Cor.  xi.  14,  15. 

But  does  not  this  destroy  the  confidence  due  the 
ministers  of  Christ.?  No  ;  they  always  rejoice  to 
know  that  the  people  carefully  search  the  Scriptures 
to  see  whether  those  things  are  so  ;"  and  with  the 
apostle  they  are  ready  to  acknowledge  that  such 
"  are  the  more  noble"  of  their  hearers  ;  knowing  that 
the  more  thorough  the  examination,  the  more  will 
the  people  be  confirmed  in  the  truth. 

God  has  given  his  word  at  the  cost  of  the  perse- 
cution and  violent  death  of  many  of  those  faithful 
men  whom  he  inspired  to  write  it,  and  of  his  only 
begotten  Son.  He  has  also  preserved  it  through  the 
most  fiery  ordeal,  and  in  his  providence  it  is  trans- 
lated into  our  language,  and  he  has  sent  it  among  us 
as  plentifully  as  he  did  the  manna  from  heaven  for 
the  children  of  Israel :  and  as  they  loathed  the 
manna,  and  "  lusted  for  the  leeks,  and  the  onions, 
and  the  garlics,  of  Egypt,"  so  now  his  precious 
word,  "  the  bread  of  heaven,"  is  loathed  ;  instead  of 
being  read  with  pleasure,  as  a  privilege,  it  is 
generally  read  as  a  duty  or  task,  while  the  light  and 
pernicious  reading  with  which  the  world  is  flooded, 
is  devoured  witli  eagerness  and  delight.  This  is 
evident  from  the  general  conversation  of  churcli 


138     ^  THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 

members.  They  can  talk  intelligibly  of  those  publi 
cations,  history,  science,  business,  or  of  the  events 
of  the  day,  but  of  God's  word  they  rarely  speak,  and 
if  introduced,  they  have  a  "  poor  memory  although 
their  memory  never  fails  in  what  concerns  their 
interest. 

What  wonder  then  if  God  should  suffer  the  people 
to  be  cursed  with  error,  and  even  "  send  them  strong 
delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie  f  because 
they  have  no  pleasure  in  his  truth,  thus  freely  given. 
It  is  evident  that  error  abounds  on  religious  subjects, 
from  the  fact  that  divisions  are  so  greatly  multiplied  : 
and  the  cause  'is  equally  evident.  A  man  cannot  be 
led  astray  on  a  journey  if  well  acquainted  with  the 
road  ;  neither  will  the  people  embrace  error  if  well 
instructed  in  the  truth. 

The  popular  preaching,  the  religious  instruction 
of  the  day,  has  little  or  nothing  to  do  with  expound- 
ing the  Scriptures.  Though  a  text  is  taken  from  the 
Bible,  it  is  not  always  explained,  and  when  explained 
the  short  text  constitutes  the  extent  of  thek  exposi- 
tion. Very  learned  essays,  and  instructive  and 
interesting  discourses  on  various  subjects  are  given, 
but  expounding  the  Scriptures  as  did  the  primitive 
Christian  minister  is  all  out  of  fashion,  and  therefore 
out  of  order.  A  few  short  quotations  from  the  Bible 
are  often  interspersed  and  made  applicable  to  the  sub- 
ject, being  isolated  texts,  but  are  often  made  to 
teach  something  foreign  to  what  God  designs,  as 
their  context  would  easily  show.    And  church  mem- 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


139 


bers  are  better  instructed  on  almost  all  subjects  than 
in  the  word  of  God. 

It  was  the  appointed  work  of  the  Christian  minis- 
ter to  explain  the  Scriptures. 

Our  Lord  also  was  accustomed  to  expound  the 
scriptures  in  his  discourses.  His  sermon  on  the 
mount  is  an  exposition  of  the  moral  law.  The  early- 
history  of  the  church  as  well  as  "  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,"  show  that  expounding  of  the  Scriptures 
was  the  business  df  the  Christian  ministry. 

Christ  and  his  apostles  also  gave  special  attention 
to  the  prophecies,  that  portion  of  scripture  now 
greatly  neglected.    The  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies 
is  now  the  best  external  testimony  of  the  divine 
authenticity  of  the  Bible  ;  "  for  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy." — Rev.  xix.  10. 
The  miracles  were  an  evidence  to  those  who  wit- 
nessed them,  of  the  divine  mission  of  those  by  whom 
they  were  wrought.    But  they  are  now  the  reason 
why  the  sceptical  mind  rejects  the  Bible  ;  because 
the  miracles  recorded  in  it  are  contrary  to  the 
common  course  of  things,  or  to  the  order  of  nature. 
But  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  is  a  living 
miracle  which  forces  upon  the  sceptical  mind  the 
truth  that  the  Bible  is  of  Heavenly  origin  ;  that  it 
is  the  word  of  the  eternal  God.    Yet  the  prophecies 
are  now  as  much  slighted  as  were  the  prophets  who 
wrote  them  ;  and  they  might  as  well  be  where  the 
prophets  were  driven  to,  in  the  dens  and  caves  of 
the  earth,  as  to  be  in  our  hands  nev-er  read 
explained. 


140 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Our  Lord  was  careful  to  search  out  those  prophe- 
cies which  referred  to  his  day,  and  to  show  their 
fulfilment.    "  As  his  custom  was,  he  went  into  the 
synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day  and  stood  up  for  to 
read.    And  there  was  delivered  unto  him  the  book 
of  the  prophet  Esaias.    And  when  he  had  opened 
the  book,  he  found  the  place  where  it  was  written, 
The  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath 
anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to'  the  poor :  he 
hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight 
to  the  blind  ;  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised  ; 
to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord.    And  he 
closed  the  book  and  gave  it  again  to  the  minister, 
and  sat  down.    And  the  eyes  of  all  them  that  were 
in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  on  him.     And  he 
began  to  say  unto  them,  this  day  is  this  scripture 
fulfilled  in  your  ears.    And  all  bare  him  witness, 
and  wondered  at  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded 
out  of  his  mouth." — Luke  iv.  16-22. 

He  found  the  place  where  it  was  written  of 
himself  and  thus  proved  to  them  the  truth  of  the 
prophecies  ;  "  and  all  bare  him  witness." 

On  the  way  to  Emmaus,  Jesus,  "beginning  at 
Moses,  and  all  the  prophets,  expounded  unto  them 
in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning  himself." 
And  "  they  said  one  to  another,  did  not  our  hearts 
burn  within  us  while  he  talked  with  us  by  the  way  ? 
and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures?"  Ex- 
pounding the  Scriptures,  and  showing  the  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecies,  was  also  the  mode  of  teaching 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


141 


adopted  by  the  Apostles  ;  and  it  is  very  evident  that 
expository  preaching  is  decidedly  preferable  in 
giving  Bible  instruction.  It  is  certain  that  there 
is  a  general  lack  of  interest  in  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  many  Christians  feel,  and  deeply  deplore  ; 
and  it  is  also  certain,  that  well  conducted  Bible- 
classes  and  sabbath-schools  awaken  much  more 
interest  in  the  Bible  than  public  preaching.  This 
general  want  of  interest,  this  "  famine  of  the  word," 
while  it  is  in  every  man's  hands,  may  not  be  charge- 
able l^holly  to  the  mode  of  preaching  ;  it  may  be 
sent  on  the  people  for  the  low  estimation  they  place 
on  the  word  of  God  so  freely,  so  abundantly  given. 

Has  the  mantle  of  the  noble  Bereans  fallen  on  no 
one  ?  Where  is  that  ardent  love  of  the  word  of 
God  so  characteristic  of  the  Waldenses,  who  had 
the  Bible  at  their  tongues'  end  ?  Have  we  any 
claim  to  be  the  children  of  the  Protestants  who 
read  the  Scriptures  so  anxiously  on-  their  knees  ? 
The  word  of  God,  this  great  and  precious  gift  of 
Heaven,  so  freely  given  ;  the  abundance  of  the 
blessing  will  prove  the  greater  condemnation.  In 
every  man's  hands,  so  cheap,  it  is  valued  nothing 
worth,  it  will  rise  up  in  judgment  a  swift  witness  : 
Christ  said,  "  he  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth 
not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him  :  the  word 
that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the 
last  day." 

The  great  number  of  sects  professedly  founded  ou 
the  Scriptures,  is  an  objection,  in  the  minds  of  many 
to  the  Divine  authenticity  of  the  Bible  ;  and  the 


142 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


argument  seems  plausible,  that  a  book  from  which 
so  many  theories  may  be  sustained,  cannot  be  from 
God.  But  a  careful  examination  of  facts  will  show, 
that  the  multitude  of  sects  have  not  originated  in 
the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  but  from  a  foreign  source  ; 
from  a  want  of  a  careful  adherence  to  the  Scriptures. 
There  is  not,  however,  so  great  a  difference  in  the 
fundamental  doctrines  believed  by  the  sects,  as  the 
objector  may  imagine  ;  and  the  fact  that  there  are 
many  sects,  instead  of  being  an  evidence  against  the 
truth  of  the  Bible,  is  an  evidence  of  its  divine 
authenticity  ;  for  the  Bible  reveals  the  truth  that 
divisions  would  be  multiplied.  Christ  foretold,  that 
from  his  time  onward  there  would  be  divisions. 

How,  then,  shall  we  know,  says  the  inquirer,  what 
is  truth,  seeing  there  are  so  many  different  views,  so 
many  sects  and  isms,  and  even  ministers  who  devote 
their  time  to  it,  cannot  agree,  how  shall  a  common 
man  know  wliat  to  believe  ?  If  it  were  true  that 
ministers  did  devote  their  time  to  learn  the  truth 
from  God's  word,  and  to  promulgate  it,  the  excuse 
might  be  reasonable  ;  but  the  facts  are,  they  gene- 
rally devote  their  time  to  learn  the  theology  adopted 
by  the  church  which  they  have  joined,  and  to  sustain 
its  views  ;  therefore  divisions  continue. 

God  has  given  a  rule  in  his  word  by  which  to 
obtain  the  truth,  and  all  those  who  have  complied  with 
its  requirements  are  no  doubt  already  in  possession 
of  the  treasure,  notwithstanding  the  various  sects  and 
isms  which  are  abroad.  Mark  the  ascending  steps 
v^hich  Inspiration  has  pointed  out  to  obtain  the 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


143 


truth  ;  and  if  the  reader  can  honestly  say,  these  steps 
have  I  taken,  then  would  we  gladly  sit  at  his  feet 
and  listen  to  the  voice  of  wisdom.  Prov.  ii.  1-9, 
God  says : — 

"  My  son,  if  thou  wilt  receive  my  words,  and  hide 
my  commandments  with  thee." 

What  would  he  have  us  do?  What  is  the  first 
step  to  be  taken  ?    He  answers  : — 

"  So  that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wisdom." 

That  is,  give  wisdom  a  hearing  ear.  Let  the 
voice  of  wisdom  have  your  special  attention.  This 
step  perhaps  the  reader  has  taken.  Well,  have  you 
also  taken  the  second  ? 

"  And  apply  thine  heart  to  understanding." 

Your  affections  are  to  be  placed  on  the  truth  ;  not 
on  some  adopted  theory  which  you  would  gladly  sus- 
tain ;  but  are  you  really  in  love  with  the  truth,  even 
should  it  cut  off  your  adopted  views,  and  make  you  a 
reprobate?  Can  you  say.  Let  the  worst  come,  let 
me  know  the  truth?  Many,  no  doubt,  can  answer 
this  question  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Yea,  if  thou  criest  after  knowledge." 

This  is  not  difficult  to  understand.  Have  dear 
friends  been  taken  away  by  the  common  enemy, 
death  ?  And  you  could  not  refrain  the  quick-falling 
tear,  while  your  heart  went  out  after  them  in  groans 
and  sighs.  You  have  read  of  "  Rachel  weeping  for 
her  children,  and  would  not  be  comforted,  because 
they  were  not."  Has  God  heard  the  groans  and 
sighs,  and  counted  the  tears^  in  your  anxiety  for  the 
truth?    Then  you  have  taken  the  third  step. 


144 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


And  lifteth  up  thy  voice  for  understanding/ 
Does  your  heart  so  go  out  after  wisdom,  that  you 
lift  up  your  voice  in  sincere  prayer  to  God  for  under- 
standing? ''Who  giveth  liberally  and  upbraideth 
not."  Then  you  have  taken  the  fourth  step. 
If  thou  seekest  her  as  silver." 
Have  you  sought  to  understand  God's  word,  as 
men  have  sought  after  silver?  They  have  risen 
early  in  their  desire  for  it,  and  have  sat  up  late  in 
their  toil.  It  has  been  the  theme  of  their  conversa- 
tion during  the  day,  and  they  have  dreamed  of  their 
silver  by  night.  They  go  bent  early  in  life  with  toil, 
and  in  the  midst  of  their  years  they  bow  themselves 
towards  the  grave  with  over-labor  for  silver.  True, 
God  has  commanded  that  we  labor  for  our  bread, 
and  it  is  right  that  we  should  "  labor  with  our  hands, 
that  we  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth,"  as 
well  as  to  seek  for  that  heavenly  wisdom ;  yet,  as 
time  is  to  be  compared  with  eternity,  so  are  their 
relative  importance.  Think  of  the  time,  toil,  labor, 
and  strength  of  body  and  mind  you  have  consecrated 
to  those  things  which  perish,  and  compare  them  with 
what  you  have  devoted  to  know  heavenly  wisdom ; 
and  weigh  them  in  the  balance,  and  see  whether  you 
have  sought  after  wisdom  as  you  have  sought  after 
silver.  Then  weigh  silver,  with  your  souFs  eternal 
salvation  ;  and  see  how  much  to  each  your  powers 
have  been  devoted,  in  comparison  with  their  relative 
importance.  If  you  fail  in  the  fifth  step,  what  will 
.  be  said  when  you  come  to  the  sixth  ? 

"  And  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures." 


THE  TEST  OR  STANDARD. 


145 


Let  the  dead  who  have  perished  on  the  way  to 
California  be  our  witness  of  the  ardent  desire  of  men 
for  gold.  Though  so  many  have  perished  in  the  pur- 
suit, yet  that  country  so  suddenly  peopled,  tells 
plainly  how  men  will  search  for  hid  treasures.  And 
while  you  acknowledge  that  the  Heavenly  Wisdom 
far  excels  all  earthly  treasure,  as  eternity  surpasses 
time,  and  yet  you  have  given  the  earthly  treasure 
decidedly  the  preference  in  your  affections,  your  time, 
your  labor,  toil,  and  search,  how  can  you  boldly 
ask  who  can  know  the  truth  while  there  are  so  many 
sects  ?  Jesus  also  says,  "  If  any  man  will  do  his  will, 
he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God, 
or  whether  I  speak  of  myself." — John  vii.  17. 

But  if  you  have  taken  these  steps,  if  you  have^ 
inclined  your  ear  to  Wisdom,  and  applied  your  heart 
to  understanding  ;  if  you  have  lifted  up  your  voice 
with  tears  in  prayer  for  Wisdom,  if  you  have  sought  her 
as  for  silver,  and  searched  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures, 
God  says,  "  Then  shalt  thou  understand  the  fear  of 
the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God.  For  the 
Lord  giveth  wisdom  :  out  of  his  mouth  cometh  under- 
standing. He  layeth  up  sound  wisdom  for  the 
righteous  ;  he  is  a  buckler  to  them  that  walk  up- 
rightly. He  keepeth  the  paths  of  judgment,  and  pre- 
serveth  the  way  of  his  saints.  Then  shalt  thou 
understand  righteousness,  and  judgment,  and  equity  ; 
yea,  every  good  path." 

Have  you  adopted  a  theory  and  supposed  yourself 
orthodox,  perhaps  a  minister,  and  still  acknowledge 
you  have  not  taken  these  steps  which  God  has 

7 


m 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


marked  out  to  obtain  the  truth  ;  how,  then,  do  you 
know  but  what  you  have  embraced  fables,  like  the 
Jewish  Church  ?  Are  you  more  confident  and  sin- 
cere than  were  the  Jews?  or  do  you  conclude  that 
God  has  lowered  down  the  condition  of  obtaining  the 
truth  in  your  case  ?  Have  you  been  expecting  a  time 
of  glory  and  honor  for  the  Church  in  probation, 
where  her  Lord  has  said  she  should  receive  persecu- 
tion, tribulation,  and  death  ?  and  having  been  edu- 
cated to  believe  the  theory  true,  do  you  now  think  it 
hard  to  find  it  at  last  a  fable,  and  still  acknowledge 
you  have  not  complied  with  the  conditions  God  has 
given  to  know  the  truth  ?  Then  are  you  not  already 
beginning  to  say  :  "  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art 
a  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown,  and 
gathering  where  thou  hast  not  strewed :  and  I  was 
afraid,  and  went  and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth,'' 
that  I  might  toil  for  silver,  and  search  for  hid  trea- 
sures ?    "  Lo  there,  thou  hast  that  is  thine." 

Is  it  any  more  strange  that  you  should  embrace 
fables,  which  blind  your  mind  to  the  truth  and  lead 
off  your  affections  from  God,  causing  the  reading  of 
his  word  to  become  a  dull  task,  than  for  the  Jewish 
Church  ?  She  was  truly  the  visible  Church  of  God  ; 
yet  such  proved  the  result  of  holding  the  same  fables 
with  her,  as  has  been  shown. 

You  will  not  find  a  lack  of  interest  in  the  study  of 
God's  word,  if  you  will  bring  your  theories  to  it,  and 
try  them  by  the  testimony  he  has  given,  remembering 
that  God  addresses  you  as  a  rational  being,  that  you 
are  not  to  mystify  or  to  spiritualize,  but  the  plain 


THE  TEST  OR  STAOTARD. 


U1 


word  is  to  be  understood  as  it  reads,  or  as  you  would 
any  other  plain  written  language  ;  and  if  your  theo- 
ries stand  the  test — well ;  but  if  they  do  not,  "  it  is 
because  there  is  no  light  in  them." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


CHRIST  TO  REIGN  PERSONALLY  ON  THE  EARTH. 

"Thy  kingdom  come." 

The  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  establish* 
ing  of  Messiah's  peaceful  and  everlasting  reign,  when 
the  will  of  God  shall  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  done 
in  heaven,  is  the  most  exalted  and  glorious  theme 
that  can  possibly  come  before  the  children  of  God. 

When  the  child  of  God  properly  meditates  on  the 
subject,  his  soul  is  stirred  within  him,  and  the  ardent 
desire  of  his  heart  is,  "  may  thy  kingdom  come." 
When  he  reads  the  description  of  that  day,  as  given 
in  the  word  of  God,  "  The  holy  city  prepared  as  a 
bride  adorned  for  her  husband" — the  King  with  his 
saints  in  immortal  beauty  and  glory, — "  the  light  of 
the  moon  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the 
sun  seven  fold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,"  yet  "  the 
moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed 
when  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion, 
and  in  Jerusalem  and  before  his  ancients  gloriously." 
Then  again  he  cries,  0  may  thy  kingdom  come  that 
we  may  be  where  thou  art,  that  we  may  behold  thy 
glory. 

A  kingdom  supposes  a  territory,  subjects,  and  a 
king.  The  answering  of  this  prayer  must  be  "  at  hi3 
appearing  and  kingdom,"  when  "the  kingdoms  of 


Christ's  personal  reign. 


149 


this  world  shall  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord 
and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and 
ever."  The  territory  is  named,  "  Thy  will  be  done 
on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  The  King  is  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  subjects  are  his  people,  as,  will 
be  seen  in  pursuing  this  subject. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  to  be  a  Prophet, 
Priest,  and  King.  He  was  a  Prophet  literally, 
personally.  He  prophesied  of  events  from  his  day 
down  to  the  end  of  time ;  and  as  a  teacher,  "  he 
spake  as  never  man  spake."  He  was  a  Priest 
literally,  personally.  He  offered  not  the  blood  of 
lambs  and  of  goats,  but  his  own  most  precious  blood  ; 
and  as  the  high  priest  went  into  the  most  holy  place 
to  make  intercession  for  the  people,  so  Christ  has 
gone  into  heaven  itself,  and  now  lives  to  make  inter- 
cession for  the  people  ;  He  is  our  Priest. 

These  two  offices  he  has  filled  literally,  personally. 
Shall  we  now,  in  our  haste  to  have  a  king,  imagine 
that  he  is  filling  his  kingly  office  spiritually  ? 
"  Have  we  added  unto  all  our  sins  this  evil,  to  ask  a 
king?"  as  did  the  Jewish  church.  He  is  indeed 
King,  as  the  Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  but  that 
kingly  office  foretold  by  prophets  he  has  not  yet 
filled  ;  nor  can  the  prophecy  be  fulfilled  till  he  reigns 
in  person  on  the  earth  as  the  Son  of  David.  Having 
filled  the  two  former  offices  personally,  to  interpret 
the  prophecy  so  as  to  teach  that  he  is  filling  the 
kingly  office  spiritually,  is  contrary  to  all  exegetical 
rules  of  interpretation,  and  also  to  the  plain  teaching 
of  the  word  of  God. 


150 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


As  surely  as  lie  has  filled  the  two  first  offices  in 
person,  literally,  so  truly  will  he  fill  the  last,  the 
kingly  office  in  person. 

John  the  Revelator  craves  for  the  seven  churches 
of  Asia,  the  grace  of  "  Him  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come."  Christ  is  now  our  living 
Priest,  he  was  our  great  Teacher  or  Prophet,  he  is  to 
come  our  King. 

Gabriel  said  to  Mary,  "  The  Lord  God  shall  give 
unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David  ;  and  he 
shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever  ;  and  of 
his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end."  Luke  i.  32,  33. 

Even  if  Christ  is  now  reigning  spiritually,  as  some 
believe,  it  is  certain  that  he  has  never  had  the  throne 
of  his  Father  David.  And  in  order  that  the  promise 
be  fulfilled,  the  tabernacle  of  David  which  has  fallen 
must  be  raised  up,  as  the  prophet  Amos  has  foretold, 
ix.  11, 12,  "  In  that  day  will  I  raise  up  the  tabernacle 
of  David  which  is  fallen  and  close  up  the  breaches 
thereof :  and  I  will  raise  up  his  ruins,  and  I  will 
build  it  as  in  the  days  of  old  ;  that  they  may  possess 
the  remnant  of  EdoiA,  and  of  all  the  heathen  who  are 
called  by  my  name,  saith  the  Lord,  who  doeth  this." 
The  context  shows  that  when  the  tabernacle  of 
David,  or  "  the  house  of  David,"  the  royal  family  of 
David,  in  the  person  of  Christ  shall  be  established  in 
his  reign,  the  wicked  shall  be  destroyed.  "  And  the 
heathen  who  are  called  by  the  name  of  the  Lord^^^  that 
is,  the  Gentile  church  shall  be  united  with  the 

Jewish,  and  they  shall  be  one  "  And  I  will 

plant  them  upon  their  land,  and  they  shall  no  more 


Christ's  personal  reign. 


151 


be  pulled  up  out  of  the  land  which  I  have  given 
them,  saith  the  Lord  thy  God." 
^  The  covenant  to  David  of  a  seed  to  sit  for  ever  on 
his  throne  was  unconditional,  immutable  ;  it  did  not 
in  any  way  depend  on  the  faithfulness  or  unfaithful- 
ness of  David's  family,  but  on  the  immutable  promise 
of  Jehovah.— 2  Sam.  vii.  8, 16.    Ps.  89. 

"  I  have  found  David  my  servant ;  with  my  holy 

oil  have  I  anointed  him  Also  I  will  make  him 

my  first-born,  higher  than  the  kings  of  the  earth,  my 
mercy  will  I  keep  for  him  for  evermore,  and  my 
covenant  shall  stand  fast  with  him.  His  seed  also 
will  I  make  to  endure  for  ever,  and  his  throne  as  the 
days  of  heaven.  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and 
walk  not  in  my  judgment ;  if  they  break  my  statutes, 
and  keep  not  my  commandments ;  then  will  I  visit 
their  transgressions  with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity 
with  stripes.  Nevertheless,  my  loving  kindness  will 
I  not  utterly  take  from  him,  nor  suffer  my  faithfulness 
to  fail.  My  covenant  will  I  not  break,  nor  alter  the 
thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  lips.  Once  have  I  sworn 
by  my  holiness  that  I  will  not  lie  unto  David.  His 
seed  shall  endure  for  ever,  and  his  Throne  as  the  sun 
before  me.  It  shall  be  established  for  ever  as  the 
moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witness  in  heaven." 

Though  this  covenant  was  unconditional,  yet  God 
said  if  his  children  transgress  I  will  visit  their  trans- 
gressions with  the  rod.  The  descendants  of  the 
throne  did  transgress  grievously  ;  they  caused  Israel 
to  sin  more  than  the  heathen  nations  about  them,  and 
God  suffered  the  Chaldeans  to  come  upon  them  and 


152 


THE  saints'  INHPJRITANCE. 


to  capture  them,  and  they  carried  away  the  royal 
family,  and  overthrew  the  kingdom.  Ezekiel  the 
prophet  is  sent  to  pronounce  the  curse,  but  in  the 
curse  the  immutable,  the  unconditional  covenant  with 
David  is  remembered,  it  must  not  be  broken.  "  And 
thou  profane  wicked  prince  of  Israel,  whose  day  is 
come,  when  iniquity  shall  have  an  end.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God ;  remove  the  diadem,  and  take  off  the 
crown  ;  this  shall  not  be  the  same  ;  exalt  him  whp  is 
low,  and  abase  him  who  is  high.  I  will  overturn, 
overturn,  overturn  it,  and  it  shall  be  no  more  till  he 
comes,  whose  right  it  is  ;  and  I  will  give  it  him." — 
Ezek.  xxi.  25-27.  Christ  is  the  true  and  lawful  heir 
to  David's  throne,  "whose  right  it  is.'^  That  king- 
dom has  been  overturned,  and  it  will  not  be  restored 
till  He  come  whose  "  right  it  is."  When  He  comes, 
he  will  first  thoroughly  cleanse  his  dominion  from  all 
impurity  ;  "  He  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and 
the  chaff  he  will  burn  with  fire  unquenchable."  He 
"  whom  the  heavens  must  receive  until  the  times  of 
the  restitution  of  all  things  which  God  has  spoken  by 
the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world 
began,"  will  remove  the  curse  before  he  establish  his 
peaceful  and  glorious  reign. 

God  in  his  great  mercy  to  the  holy  propliets  per- 
mitted all  of  them  to  have  a  view  more  or  less  dis- 
tinct, of  the  renovated  earth,  of  Christ's  coming, 
peaceful,  and  everlasting  kingdom  ;  which  must  have 
greatly  strengthened  them  while  suffering  those 
*'  cruel  mockings,"  and  extreme  persecutions  which 
they  endured  rather  than  give  up  the  hope  of  a  part 
in  "  the  better  resurrection.^' 


Christ's  personal  reign. 


163 


But  has  not  the  kingdom  already  been  established 
on  the  earth  ?  And  is  it  not  the  Church  ?  Does  not 
Christ  claim  to  be  king?  "Jesus  answered,  My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  ;  if  my  kingdom  were 
of  this  world,  then  would  my  servants  light,  that  I 
should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews  ;  but  now  is  my 
kingdom  not  from  hence.  Pilate,  therefore,  said 
unto  him,  Art  thou  a  king,  then  ?  J esus  answered. 
Thou  sayest  that  I  am  a  king  ;  to  this  end  was  I 
born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that 
I  should  bear  witness  to  the  truth." — John  xviii. 
36,  37. 

He  did  truly  bear  witness  to  the  truth,  and  he 
sealed  it  with  his  blood.  He  was  also  born  to  be 
king,  and  he  will  come  again  to  reign,  not  in  this 
world  or  age,  this  corrupted  state,  but  in  "  the  world 
to  come,'^  the  restored  state  of  the  world,  when  He 
shall  remove  the  curse,  and  consecrate  this  earth 
with  his  glorified  presence.  And  now,  He  says,  "  To 
him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in 
my  throne,  as  I  have  overcome,  and  am  set  down 
with  my  Father  in  his  throne." — Rev.  iii.  21. 

Christ  is  also  the  Anointed  of  the  Lord,  but  he  is 
not  yet  established  in  his  kingdom.  David  was  also 
anointed  king  in  Israel  long  before  he  was  esta- 
blished in  the  kingdom.  Christ  "  has  ascended  on 
high  and  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  are  made  his 
footstool  f  therefore  he  has  taught  his  subjects  to 
pray  for  his  kingdom  to  come. 

Christ's  kingdom  is  made  a  subject  of  the  deepest 


154 


THE  SAINTS'  INHBUITANCE. 


interest  throughout  the  Bible ;  yet  his  reign  ia 
xlways  placed  in  the  future.  The  time  when  he  shall 
be  crowned  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  is  at 
Ms  second  coming.  He  says,  "  When  the  Son  of 
man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 
with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his 
^lory."  This  is  the  earliest  period  in  which  he  is 
represented  as  taking  his  throne.  "  Then  shall  the 
King  say  to  those  on  his  right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed 
)f  my  Father."  This  is  the  earliest  that  he  is  repre- 
seated  as  an  acting  King. 

Though  the  title  of  King  is  often  applied  to  him  in 
the  Scriptures,  it  is  only  as  a  Prince,  or  an  heir  to 
the  throne.  God  "hath  in  these  last  days  spoken 
unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir  of 
all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the  world." — ^Heb. 
i.  2. 

Notwithstanding  the  Scriptures  do  thus  clearly 
teach  that  Christ's  reign  is  still  future,  and  that  he 
is  to  reign  personally,  yet  it  is  generally  taught  and 
understood  that  he  is  now  filling  his  kingly  office  by 
the  Spirit,  and  that  the  church  is  his  kingdom.  But 
if  the  kingdom  has  come,  why  continue  to  pray,  "  Thy 
kingdom  come  ?"  Shall  we  continue  to  ask  God  for 
what  he  has  already  granted  ?  And  if  the  church  is 
that  kingdom,  then  the  kingdom  had  come  before  our 
Lord  taught  his  disciples  to  pray  for  it  to  come ;  fof 
God  has  had  a  church  on  earth  since  the  days  of 
Abel.  Some  teachers  are  more  consistent ;  believing 
the  Church  to  be  Christ's  kingdom,  and  that  he  is 
reigning  spiritually,  they  teach  that  wc  should  now 


CHRIST^S  PERSONAL  REIGN. 


165 


pray,  "may  thy  kingdom  be  extended  over  all  the 
earth."  With  such,  the  Lord's  prayer  is  obsolete ; 
or  at  least  they  revise  the  prayer  which  Jesus  indited 
for  his  church  during  all  coming  time. 

But  did  not  Jesus  say,  "  that  there  be  some  stand- 
ing here  who  shall  not  taste  of  death  till  they  shall 
see  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power  ?"  True, 
he  did,  and  the  saying  is  recorded  by  three  of  the 
Evangelists  ;  and  if  we  read  carefully  the  context,  w^ 
shall  see  the  fulfilment.  They  each  record  in  con- 
nexion with  that  saying,  the  description  of  the  trans- 
figuration of  Christ. 

So  powerfully  glorious  was  the  manifestation  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  although  it  was  only  in  epitome, 
that  those  three  disciples  who  were  honored  with 
the  sight,  were  overpowered  with  the  brightness 
and  splendor  of  the  exhibition.  Observe  how  it 
reads,  and  you  have  their  explanation. — Luke  xx. 
27-31.  "  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  there  be  some 
standing  here  who  shall  not  taste  of  death  till  they 
see  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  it  came  to  pass 
about  eight  days  after  these  sayings,  he  took  Peter, 
and  John,  and  James,  and  went  up  into  a  mountain 
to  pray,  and  as  he  prayed,  the  fashion  of  his  counte- 
nance was  altered,  and  his  raiment  was  white  and 
glistening.  And  behold,  there  talked  with  him  two 
men,  who  were  Moses  and  Elias,  who  appeared  in 
glory  and  spake  of  his  decease,  which  he  should 
accomplish  at  Jerusalem."  Here  is  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  epitome.  Christ  thus  transfigured  repre-  ^ 
eented  the  King.    Moses,  who  had  been  long  dead, 


166 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


represented  the  righteous  dead  who  shall  be  raised 
and  glorified.  Elias,  that  is,  Elijah,  who  had  been 
translated  that  he  should  not  see  death,  represented 
the  living  who  "  shall  not  sleep  "  or  die,  but  shall 
be  changed  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
at  his  appearing  and  kingdom.  As  much  as  though 
the  Evangelist  had  said,  "  about  eight  days  after 
these  sayings  he  took  three  of  his  disciples  who  were 
standing  there,  and  went  up  into  a  mountain  and 
gave  them  an  exhibition  of  the  kingdom  of  God." 

This  exposition  is  confirmed  by  one  of  the  eye- 
witnesses.— 2  Peter  i.  16,  17.  "  For  we  have  not 
followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  when  we  made 
known  to  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty. 
For  he  received  from  God  the  Father  honor  and 
glory,  when  there  came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the 
excellent  glory.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased.  And  this  voice  which  came  from 
heaven,  we  heard  when  we  were  with  him  in  the 
holy  mount." 

Therefore,  instead  of  the  text  so  often  quoted  as 
proof  that  the  kingdom  is  already  established  being 
an  argument  in  its  favor,  it  becomes  through  the 
teaching  of  the  apostle,  an  argument  that  the  king- 
dom is  still  future,  and  that  its  coming  is  no  fable, 
but  that  Christ^s  personal  reign  is  a  glorious  truth 
of  which  that  exhibition  in  the  holy  mount  was 
given  as  a  sure  pledge. 

If  that  glory  was  such  as  to  overcome  the  disciples 
at  the  sight  of  the  King  and  two  of  Lis  suojects  ia 


CHRIST'S  PERSONAL  REIGN. 


157 


glory,  what  shall  be  that  ^'  far  more  exceeding  and  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory,"  of  which  Paul  speaks  ?  And 
when  the  prayer  shall  be  answered,  and  the  kingdom 
of  God  shall  come  ;  the  earth  renewed,  and  the  great 
company  of  the  redeemed  shall  be  thus  glorified,  the 
oath  of  God  will  be  verified — "  as  truly  as  I  live, 
all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the 
Lord/'  Then  the  will  of  God  shall  be  done  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Oh!  may  thy  kingdom 
%ome. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


WHEN  CHRIST  REIGNS  ON  EARTH  HIS  SUBJECTS  WILL  BE 
IMMORTAL. 

"Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom 
of  their  Father.  Who  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear." — ^Matt, 
xiiL  43. 

The  prospect  of  a  triumphant  reign  in  this  mortal 
state  over  every  foe,  when  the  nations  should  lay 
aside  their  idolatry  for  the  worship  of  the  God  of 
Israel,  was  the  great  moving  sentiment  of  th*e  Jewish 
church,  on  which  their  hopes  were  placed,  and  around 
which  they  rallied  as  the  main-spring  of  all  their 
exertions,  as  -truly  as  the  hope  of  a  temporal  millen- 
nium is  interwoven  with  the  movements  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  at  the  present  day. 

The  explanation  of  "  the  parable  of  the  tares  in  the 
field,"  as  given  by  our  Lord,  of  which  the  text  is  the 
closing  part,  was  designed  to  cut  off  this  pleasing 
prospect  of  the  Jewish  church,  and  it  still  stands  an 
immovable  truth  against  the  vain  prospect  of  a  tri- 
umphant reign  in  the  flesh,  for  either  Jewish  or 
Christian  church  ;  and  it  will  so  stand  till  he  end  of 
the  world. 

The  disciples  being  educated  in  the  Jewish  church, 
were  more  or  less  under  the  same  delusive  hope ; 
therefore  the  parable  awakened  in  them  an  anxiety ; 


CHRIST^S  KINGDOM.  l5'J 

and  as  soon  as  the  multitude  were  dispersed,  and  the 
Saviour  had  entered  the  house,  his  disciples  came  to 
him  unanimously  desiring  an  explanation,  "  saying, 
declare  unto  us  the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field.^' 

But  Christ  seems  to  apprehend  that  even  they  were 
not  all  prepared  to  receive  the  exposition  ;  for  having 
explained  it  to  them,  he  adds,  Who  hath  ears  to 
hear  let  him  hear." 

That  truth  is  very  unwelcome  which  cuts  off  long 
cherished  religious  theories,  and  pleasing  hopes ;  and 
those  who  have  embraced  the  pleasing  hope  of  peace, 
ever  seem,  as  Stephen  said,  "  uncircumcised  in  heart 
and  ears." 

The  Jewish  church  at  large  were  quite  unprepared 
to  listen  to  the  plain  truth  without  a  parable,  as 
Christ  explained  it  to  his  disciples ;  for  Jesus  had 
just  said  of  them,  "  that  this  people's  heart  is  waxed 
gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their 
eyes  they  have  closed ;  lest  at  any  time  they  should 
see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 
should  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be 
converted,  and  I  should  heal  them."  They  would 
perhaps  have  gnashed  on  him  with  their  teeth,  as 
they  did  afterwards  on  Stephen,  while  teaching  a 
similar  sentiment. 

Could  the  church  have  received  the  explanation  of 
this  parable,  they  would  have  learned  at  once,  that 
the  Messiah  would  not  reign  during  the  time  of  pro* 
bation  for  his  church,  either  literally  or  spiritually. 

The  Jewish  church  were  right  in  expecting  that 
the  Messiah  would  be  a  king,  and  that  his  reign  would 


160 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


be  a  triumphant  reign  of  peace.  One  of  the  titles 
given  him  is,  "  The  Prince  of  Peace.''  But  they  mis- 
applied the  promises,  and  he  proved  to  them  "  a  stone 
of  stumbling  f  because  they  applied  those  promises 
of  his  second  coming  to  reign,  to  his  first  coming ; 
which  was  to  suffer ;  and  therefore  they  expected  the 
glorious  reign  of  peace  in  the  flesh,  where  both  their 
Messiah  and  the  heirs  of  his  kingdom  were  not  to 
reign,  but  to  suffer.  They  seemed  to  overlook  his 
office  as  a  Priest,  to  suffer,  to  redeem,  and  to  inter- 
cede for  his  people ;  which  office  he  still  fills. 

Though  Jesus  said,  "  All  power  is  given  to  me  in 
heaven,  and  in  earth  yet  an  apostle  says,  "  We  see 
not  yet  all  things  put  under  him."  But  it  is  revealed 
to  John  that  it  shall  be  accomplished  at  the  sounding 
of  the  seventh  angel.  The  four  and  twenty  elders, 
which  sat  before  God  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their 
faces  and  worshipped  God,  saying.  We  give  thee 
thanks,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast, 
and  art  to  come  ;  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy 
great  power  and  hast  reigned." — Rev.  xi. 

Immediately  in  connexion  with  his  taking  to  him- 
self his  great  power  to  reign,  the  judgment  sits,  and 
then  are  heard  the  "  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying, 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms 
of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever." 

Though  all  power  is  given  to  Christ,  yet  it  is  here 
clearly  taught  that  he  does  not  take  to  himself  that 
power  and  reign  till  the  day  of  judgment.  Then  the 
Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall 


Christ's  kingdom. 


161 


gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
and  those  who  do  iniquity ;  and  he  shall  be  crowned 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Then  he  shall  be 
The  Prince  of  Peace,  and  The  Everlasting  Father," 
of  "  tlie  world  to  come."  At  which  time  he  will  ful- 
fil his  word  as  given  by  Hosea  ;  "  I  will  ransom  them  ^ 
from  the  power  of  the  grave ;  I  will  redeem  them 
from  death  :  0  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues,  0  grave, 
I  will  be  thy  destruction."  And  "then  shall  the 
righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
their  Father." 

Israel  clamored  for  a  king,  that  they  might  be 
raised  to  honor  as  the  nations  around  them,  and  God 
gave  them  one  in  his  anger,  and  took  him  away  in  his 
wrath. 

As  soon  as  the  people  began  to  believe  that  Christ 
was  the  Messiah,  when  they  saw  the  miracles  which 
he  did,  they  would  have  taken  him  by  force  and  made 
him  a  king,  but  he  fled  from  their  midst. 

The  Christian  Church  had  only  a  little  respite 
from  persecution  in  the  days  of  Constantine,  and  her 
hope  is  soon  fixed  on  this  world,  and  she  must  have 
a  king.  They  crown  one  of  their  bishops,  and  the 
descendant  of  that  throne  now  claims  to  reign  as 
Christ's  vicar  on  earth. 

The  Protestant  Church  have  had  but  a  short  respite 
from  persecution,  and  they  claim  a  king;  but  theyj 
would  avoid  the  errors  of  those  before  them,  who 
demanded  a  temporal  king  ;  so  they  claim  a  spiritual 
king,  still  his  subjects  are  in  the  flesh  and  blood. 


162 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


"  But  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  says  an  apostle. 

What  do  they  expect  their  king  will  accomplish 
in  this  world  ?  They  claim  that  he  will  reign  till 
the  heathen  are  converted,  and  idolatry  is  abolished 
for  the  worship  of  the  true  God  ;  and  through  him 
the  Church  shall  triumph  over  all  her  foes.  And  did 
not  those  Churches  before  them,  who  have  so  greatly 
fallen,  anticipate  the  same  thing  ? 

The  desire  for  a  kingdom  and  a  reign  in  this  world 
has  ever  been  a  besetment  of  the  Church.  She  has 
at  times,  in  her  history,  connected  herself  with  the 
state,  and  it  has  proved  a  snare.  She  would  have 
her  glory  before  she  has  her  suffering.  "  But  if  we 
suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him."  The 
Lord  Jesus  knowing  this  strong  inclination  to  have 
a  kingdom  in  the  flesh,  was  careful  to  protest  against 
it,  saying,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  from  hence,"  and  he 
therefore  made  the  subject  very  plain.  He  spoke  the 
following  words  in  order  to  correct  his  followers, 
who  had  the  same  prevailing  desire  for  a  king- 
dom in  the  flesh,  Luke  xix.  11-15.  "  And  as  they 
heard  these  things,  he  added  and  spake  a  parable, 
because  he  was  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  and  because  they 
thought  the  kingdom  of  God  should  immediately 
appear.  He  said  therefore,  a  certain  nobleman  went 
into  a  far  country  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdpm, 
and  to  return.  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and 
delivered  them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  them, 
occupy  till  I  come.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and 
sent  a  message  after  him,  saying,  we  will  not  have 


Christ's  kingdom. 


163 


this  man  to  reign  over  us.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
when  he  was  returned,  having  received  the  kingdom, 
then  he  commanded  these  servants  to  be  called  to 
him,"  and  he  rewards  the  faithful  and  punishes  his 
enemies. 

"  Having  received  the  kingdom,^^  Christ  returns  to 
reign.  He  spake  this  parable  "  because  they  thought 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  immediately  appear." 
He  does  not  teach  or  intimate  that  the  Church  is 
his  kingdom,  and  that  he  would  reign  spiritually 
while  absent  from  them.  But  he  has  gone  into  a  far 
country  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom.  "  The 
Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  thou  at  my  right  hand 
till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool."  "  He  hath 
ascended  on  high  and  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
God  ;  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be 
made  his  footstool." 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  when  he  was  returned,  hav- 
ing received  the  kingdom." 

Having  accomplished  his  mediatorial  work,  "  And 
the  seventh  angel  sounded  ;  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven,  saying,  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.  .  .  . 
And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come, 
and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged, 
and  that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto  thy  ser- 
vants the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that 
fear  thy  name,  small  and  great ;  and  shouldest 
destroy  them  which  destroy  the  earth." — Rev.  xi. 
15-18. 


164 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


If  the  restitution  of  this  earth  had  not  been  lost 
sight  of,  when  all  things  shall  be  made  new  as  the 
final  abode  of  the  saints  ;  no  one  would  have  thought 
of  applying  what  is  to  transpire  under  the  sounding 
of  the  seventh  angel,  to  a  temporal  millennium  ;  but 
fully  believing  that  the  heaven  of  the  saints  is  away 
in  some  other  part  of  God's  universe,  where  Christ's 
everlasting  kingdom  will  be  established,  they  can 
make  no  other  application.  Notwithstanding  the 
nations  are  represented  as  being  angry,  and  God's 
wrath  has  come,  and  the  time  to  reward  his  servants, 
and  punish  his  enemies,  all  transpiring  in  connexion 
with  the  "  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  the  king- 
doms of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever." 

Having  lost  sight  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints, 
how  can  they  but  teach  that  Christ  is  reigning  spirit- 
ually, and  that  the  millennium  will  be  in  this  mortal 
state  ?  For  wherever  the  location  of  Christ's  king- 
dom is  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  it  is  invariably 
fixed  on  the  earth.  And  taking  it  for  granted  that 
Christ's  everlasting  kingdom  is  in  some  other  place, 
they  could  but  fix  his  reign  in  probation,  if  he  ever 
reigned  on  earth  ;  as  they  expect  this  earth  will  be 
annihilated  after  the  judgment. 

Therefore  those  blessed  promises  of  the  "  restitu- 
tion of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the 
mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world 
began,"  are  applied  by  them  to  this  corruptible  state. 
Those    exceeding  great  and  precious  promises"  con- 


Christ's  kingdom. 


166 


cerning  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth  being  too  high 
and  glorious  for  anything  in  mortal  life,  the  only  way 
they  have  to  dispose  of  them,  has  been  to  conclude 
that  they  were  "  hyperbolical  or  poetical  expressions." 
But  instead  of  being  "  hyperbolical  expressions,"  the 
recipients  of  these  promises  will  no  doubt  say  as  did 
the  Queen  of  Sheba,  "  The  half  has  not  been  told  me." 
Thus  has  God  hitherto  fulfilled  his  word. 

How  can  the  following  language  from  Isaiah  Ix. 
18-21  be  applied  to  this  life  ?  Speaking  of 'the  Holy 
City,  "  Violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land, 
wasting  nor  destruction  within  thy  borders  ;  but 
thou  shalt  call  thy  walls  Salvation,  and  thy  gates 
Praise.  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day  ; 
neither  for  brightness  shall  the  moon  give  light  unto 
thee  ;  but  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting 
light,  and  thy  God  thy  glory.  Thy  sun  shall  no 
more  go  down :  neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw 
itself ;  for  the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light ; 
and  the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended.  Thy 
people  shall  be  all  righteous  ;  they  shall  inherit  the 
land  for  ever  ;  the  branch  of  my  planting,  the  work 
of  my  hands,  that  I  may  be  glorified." 

"  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  Who  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear." 


CHAPTER  Xy. 


Christ's  beign  continued — his  kingdom  to  bb 
without  end. 

"Fear  not,  little  flock;  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom." — Luke  xii.  32. 

The  churcli  of  God  on  earth  in  all  ages  has  been 
a  little  flock  ;  afflicted,  persecuted,  a  prey  for  the 
enemy  on  every  side.  Many  of  her  most  promising 
sons  and  daughters  have  been  cut  off  by  death  just  as 
they  were  entering  the  field  of  usefulness ;  and 
before  the  time  to  lay  off  her  mourning  apparel  she  i 
has  had  to  renew  it.  A  multitude  from  her  ranks 
have  ^  been  brought  to  a  premature  death  by  the 
bloody  hands  of  persecutors.  Her  martyrs  number 
many  millions.  During  the  most  of  her  history  the 
voice  of  the  blood  of  her  children  has  cried  unto  the 
Lord  from  the  ground  as  did  the  blood  of  Abel,  or  it 
has  ascended  from  the  stake  in  the  burning  flame,  in 
still  louder  cries  to  the  God  of  the  afflicted.  The 
church  has  her  type  in  her  Lord  ;  and  in  this  life  she 
is  to  drink  of  the  cup  of  which  he  drank. 

In  the  text  our  Lord  would  encourage  her,  with 
the  promise  of  the  kingdom  ;  but  if  the  kingdom  was 
organized  and  they  its  subjects,  then  he  promises 
them  that  which  they  already  had.  When  a  person 
is  converted,  he  is  not  born  into  the  kingdom  of 


Christ's  reign  without  end.  167 

God,  as  many  teach,  but  regeneration  is  a  necessary 
qualification  for  the  kingdom.  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."  Those  who  have  departed 
this  life  have  not  received  the  kingdom,  or  their 
promised  crown.  Paul  expected  his  crown  at 
Christ's  appearing  and  kingdom.  He  says,  "  Hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness, which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give 
me  at  that  day  :  and  not  to  me  only  but  to  all  those 
that  love  his  appearing." 

The  apostle,  speaking  of  the  worthies  of  the  Old 
Testament,  says,  These  all  having  obtained  a  good 
report  through  faith,  received  not  the  promise  :  God 
having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us  that  they 
without  us  should  not  be  made  perfect,"  Heb.  xi.  39, 
40.  Those  ancient  worthies  were  not  made  perfect, 
says  the  apostle,  although  they  had  departed  this 
life  ;  neither  will  they  be,  so  long  as  death  triumphs 
over  their  bodies  ;  nor  had  they  received  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  promise.  They  have  not  yet  received 
their  inheritance,  the  promised  kingdom  ;  nor  will 
they,  without  the  New  Testament  saints  ;  "  that  they 
without  us  should  not  be  made  perfect."  John  says, 
Rev.  vi.  9,  10,  "  I  saw  under  the  altars  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for 
the  testimony  which  they  held  :  and  they  cried  with 
a  loud  voice,  saying,  How  long,  0  Lord,  holy  and 
true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?"  Thus  we  see  that 
all  the  departed  saints  are  looking  forward  with 


168 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


bright  anticipation  to  the  coming  of  Christ's  king- 
dom ;  when  all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
made  perfect  by  a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  with 
bodies  like  unto  Christ's  most  glorious  body ;  then 
they  shall  be  for  ever  established  in  that  glorious 
reign  ;  "  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom."  * 

In  view  of  that  day  the  prophet  says,  Isaiah  xlix., 
"  Sing,  0  heaven  ;  and  be  joyful,  0  earth  ;  and  break 
forth  into  singing,  0  mountains :  for  the  Lord  hath 
comforted  his  people,  and  will  have  mercy  upon  his 
aflBiicted.  But  Zion  said  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  me  ; 
and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me.  Can  a  woman 
forget  her  sucking  child  that  she  should  not  have 
compassion  on"  her  own  son  ?  "  Yea,  they  may  for- 
get, yet  will  I  not  forget  thee.  Behold  I  have 
graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands  ;  thy  walls 
are  continually  before  me.  Thy  children  shall  make 
haste  ;  thy  destroyers  and  they  that  made  thee  waste 
shall  go  forth  of  thee." 

In  the  above,  Zion  is  represented  as  mourning  in 
her  desolation ;  being  robbed  and  spoiled  on  every 
side,  with  no  redress,  she  imagines  her  Lord  has 
forgotten  her.  But  she  is  informed  that  those  who 
destroy  her  and  make  her  waste  shall  be  cast  out, 
and  that  her  children  who  have  been  cut  oiBF,  shall, 
when  raised  from  the  dead,  make  haste  to  come  ;  and 
in  view  of  their  return  God  says  to  her,  "  Lift  up  thine 
eyes  round  about,  and  behold,  all  these  gather  them- 
Belves  together,  and  come  to  thee.  As  I  live,  saith  the 
Lord,  thou  shalt  surely  clothe  thee  with  them  all,  as 


Christ's  reign  without  end.  169 

with  an  ornament,  and  bind  them  on  thee  as  a  bride 
doth." 

"  Then  shalt  thou  say  in  thine  heart,  who  hath 
begotten  me  these,  seeing  I  have  lost  my  children, 
and  am  desolate,  a  captive,  and  roaming  to  and  fro  ? 
and  who  hath  brought  up  t'hese  ?  Behold  I  was  left 
alone  ;  these  where  had  they  been  She  is  repre- 
sented as  being  astonished  when  the  multitude  of  her 
children  come  from  the  grave.  "  Who  hath  brought 
up  these  When  Christ's  kingdom  is  established 
they  are  no  longer  a  "  little  flock.''  "  For  thy  waste 
and  thy  desolate  places,  and  the  land  of  thy  destruc- 
tion, shall  even  now  be  too  narrow  by  reason  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  they  that  swallowed  thee  up  shall  be 
far  away." 

But  there  are  some  texts  of  scripture  which  speak 
of  a  kingdom  as  being  already  established ;  for 
instance  the  gospel  dispensation  may  be  called  a 
kingdom,  as  in  the  parables  ;  that  is,  a  reign  of 
heavenly  principles.    But  that  kingdom  foretold  by 
prophets,  for  the  coming  of  which  Christ  taught  his 
people  to  pray,  is  still  future.    There  is  a  text,  how- 
ever, which  seems  to  teach  that  it  is  already  estab- 
lished, made  a  prominent  text  with  those  who 
idvocate  that  Christ  is  filling  his  kingly  offices 
spiritually  while  his  subjects  are  in  the  flesh,  their 
'irst  and  last  proof  text.    It  is  found  in  Luke  xvii. 
^1.    "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."  Some 
exts  isolated,  seem  to  prove  what  they  do  not  when 
connected  with  the  context. 
"And  when  he  was  demanded  of  the  Pharisees 
8 


170  THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 

when  the  kingdom  of  God  should  come,  he  answered 
them  and  said,  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with 
observation.  Neither  shall  they  say,  lo  here !  or,  lo 
there!  for  behold,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within 
you.'' 

The  best  critics,  even  on  the  other  side  of  the 
question,  render  this  text,  in  the  midst  of  you 
this  rendering  corresponds  with  the  marginal  read- 
ing ;  which  reads,  "  among  you."  It  would  be  a 
diflScult  text  to  understand  without  the  marginal 
reading,  even  if  the  word  of  God  taught  in  other 
places  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  in  the  Christian  : 
for  the  persons  whom  Christ  was  addressing  were 
Pharisees,  and  in  their  wicked  unbelief,  they  were 
cavilling  with  him.  He  certainly  would  not  teach 
us  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  in  them. 

Mark  their  question  :  "  When  shall  the  kingdom 
of  God  come  ? ''  They  might  as  well  have  asked  of 
that  day  and  hour  of  which  he  says,  "  no  man  know- 
eth.''  They  speak  of  the  kingdom  as  though  it  was 
still  in  the  future,  and  he  does  not  correct  them,  but 
admits  it  by  his  reply  :  "  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh 
not  with  observation,"  or  outward  show  ;  neither 
shall  they  say,  lo  here  I  or,  lo  there  !  as  of  the 
coming  of  an  earthly  monarch  ;  but  behold,  sud- 
denly, in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the 
dead  are  raised  and  the  living  changed,  and  Christ's 
reign  is  established  "  at  his  appearing  and  kingdom" 
in  the  midst  of  you.  Then  shall  his  angels  gather 
out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and  those 
who  do  iniquity. 


CHRIST^S  REIGN  WITHOUT  END. 


171 


But  if  the  "  little  flock,"  which  was  the  church, 
the  disciples,  had  the  kingdom  of  God  in  them,  or 
if  the  church  was  the  kingdom,  then  the  words  of 
the  text  were  without  meaning.  "  Fear  not,  little 
flock,  for  it  is  your  Father^s  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom,"  would  be  promising  them  what 
they  already  had.  The  kingdom  is  future,  something 
that  the  church  has  not  yet  had  granted  her. 

Daniel,  the  prophet,  was  permitted  to  have  a 
vision  which  extended  to  the  judgment  day. — Dan. 
vii.  He  s^ys,  I  beheld  till  the  thrones  were 
cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  days  did  sit,  whose 
garment  was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head 
like  the  pure  wool :  his  throne  was  like  the  fiery 
flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream 
issued  and  came  forth  irom  before  him:  thousand 
thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him  :  the  judgment 
was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened.  .  .  .  And  behold, 
one  like  the  Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they 
brought  him  near  before  him.  And  there  was  given 
him  dominion,  and  glorj^,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all 
people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him  : 
his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall 
not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall 
not  be  destroyed." 

In  the  above  quotation,  three  important  truths 
are  clearly  taught  :  that  Christ^s  kingdom  is  future  ; 
that  it  will  be  established  in  connexion  with  the 
judgment  day,  and  that  its  duration  will  be  without 


172 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


end.  And  it  is  also  implied,  that  this  earth  will  be 
the  location  ;  but  there  is  no  lack  for  witnesses  o*. 
this  truth.  This  whole  scene  is  explained  to  the 
prophet.  He  is  informed,  18th  verse,  that  "the 
saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,  and 
possess  the  kingdom  for  ever,  even  for  ever  and 
ever."  And  in  the  27th  verse,  the  location  is  fixed  : 
"  and  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness 
of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be 
given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingd^qm,  and  all 
dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him." 

And  still  there  is  an  abundance  of  testimony,  some 
of  which  shall  be  brought  forward  ;  not  that  the 
views  advocated  are  not  already  well  sustained,  but 
because  long  cherished  theories  are  not  readily  given 
up,  and  because  we  believe  that  the  doctrine  which 
promises  so  high  and  glorious  a  reign  for  the  Church 
in  this  life,  is  calculated  to  quiet  her  while  the 
enemy  fortifies  himself  on  every  side  ;  the  Church  is 
unconcerned,  perfectly  confident  of  success ;  the 
world  shall  surely  be  converted  ;  Christ  will  reign 
spiritually  till  he  subdues  them  all  by  his  grace,  and 
we  shall  triumph  gloriously.  While  the  Man  of  Sin 
multiplies  his  converts,  out-numbering  the  Church 
ten  to  one,  with  a  zeal  worthy  a  better  cause.  The 
work  of  years  by  the  lonely  missionary  of  the  Church, 
is  destroyed  by  his  emissaries  in  a  few  months. 
That  Man  of  Sin  is  daily  rejoicing  over  his  victories, 
while  the  Church  is  satisfied  with  the  joy  of  antici- 
pated victory. 


i 


CHPJST^S  REIGN  WITHOUT  END.  17^ 

Truly  this  reign  for  the  Church  in  the  flesh  is 
Satan's  master-work  to  quiet  all  anxiety.  It  is  cal 
culated  to  make  the  church-member  like  Demas  who 
forsook  Paul,  "  having  loved  this  present  world.''  It 
holds  out  the  prospect  of  long  life  and  prosperity  ; 
it  puts  far  away  the  day  of  judgment  ;  it  says  to  all, 
"ye  shall  surely  have  peace/'  where  God  has  not 
spoken  peace.  But  instead  of  a  long  and  triumphant 
reign  in  this  mortal  state,  God  says,  "  Seeing  then 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner 
of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation 
and  godliness,  looking  for  and  hastening  unto  the 
coming  of  the  day  of  God." 

The  fulfilment  of  the  following  prophecy,  literally, 
so  far  as  it  has  been  fulfilled,  were  there  no  other  proof, 
would  be  sufiScient  to  show  that  Christ  will  reign  in 
person  on  the  earth.  "  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  'a  son  is  given  :  and  the  government  shall  be 
upon  his  shoulder :  and  his  name  shall  be  called 
Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  Mighty  God,  The  Ever- 
lasting Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace.  Of  the  increase 
of  Jiis  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end, 
upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 
order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment  and  with 
justice  from  henceforth  even  for  ever.  The  zeal  of 
the  Lord  of  hosts  will  perform  this." — Isaiah  ix.  6,  7. 

Christ  was  the  Son  given,  literally  ;  and  by  what 
exegetical  rule  can  the  remaining  part  be  expected 
spiritually  ?  He  has  never  had  the  throne  of  David, 
The  oath  of  God  to  David  cannot  fail :  "  Once  havb 
I  sworn  by  my  holiness  that  I  will  not  lie  unto  David. 


174 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


His  seed  shall  endure  for  ever,  and  his  throne  as  the 
sun  before  me."  And  God  commissioned  his  angel 
to  repeat  the  same  unto  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus. 
"  The  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of 
his  father  David  ;  and  he  shall  reign  over  the  housa 
of  Jacob  for  ever :  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall 
be  no  end."— Luke  i.  32,  33. 

Jeremiah  has  recorded  a  prophecy  which  sheds 
light  on  this  subject.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith 
the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous 
branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  exe- 
cute judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth.  In  his  day 
Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell  safely  : 
and  this  is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called, 
THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS."^ Jer. 
xxiii.  5,  6. 

"  His  day"  refers  to  the  time  of  his  reign,  the 
"  righteous  Branch,"  the  King,  whom  God  shall  raise 
unto  David.  The  present  state  of  things  shows  that 
his  righteous  reign  has  not  commenced,  for  every- 
thing is  the  very  contrary  to  what  it  shall  be  in  "  his 
day."  Judah  is  not  saved,  neither  does  literal  Israel, 
or  the  true  Israel,  the  church,  dwell  safely.  Judg- 
ment and  justice  is  not  executed  in  the  earth.  For 
the  land  is  full  of  oppression,  and  whoever  pleads  for 
the  oppressed,  "  maketh  himself  a  prey."  And  "judg- 
ment is  turned  away  backward,  and  justice  standeth 
afar  off :  for  truth  is  fallen  in  the  street,  and  equity 
cannot  enter."  When  he  shall  reign  he  will  execute 
judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth.  But  Christ  now 
refuses  to  judge,  or  to  execute  justice  in  the  earth, 


Christ's  reign  w.rnouT  end. 


175 


and  will  refuse  till  he  come  again.  While  on  earth 
he  said,  "  I  judge  no  man/'  and  "  if  any  man  hear  my 
words  and  believe  not,  I  judge  him  not,  for  I  came 
not  to  judge  the  world,  but  to  save  the  world,"  John 
xii.  47.  He  was  then  our  Great  Prophet,  or  Teacher,  f 
and  he  is  now  our  priest.  He  still  defers  to  judge  oi 
execute  justice.  "  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the 
time,  until  the  Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring  to 
light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  make 
manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts." — 1  Cor.  iv.  5. 

How  then  can  it  be  claimed  that  Christ  is  fulfilling 
this  prophecy  by  a  spiritual  reign,  while  the  prophet 
informs  us  that  the  "  King  shall  execute  judgment 
and  justice  in  the  earth"  when  he  reigns  ?  "  Fear  not, 
little  flock,  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  kingdom." 

The  circumstances  which  called  forth  these  encou- 
raging words  to  the  little  flock,  will  shed  light  on 
this  subject.  A  man  in  trouble  about  his  inheritance, 
interrupted  the  Saviour  in  the  midst  of  a  discourse. 
It  appears  that  his  brother  had  got  the  whole  posses- 
sion, and  would  not  divide.  He  says,  "  Master, 
speak  to  my  brother  that  he  divide  the  inheritance 
with  me.  And  he  said,  man,  who  made  me  a  judge 
or  a  divider  over  you  ?" 

Jesus  takes  the  occasion  to  exhort  the  people 
against  covetousness.  He  brings  before  them  the 
case  of  a  man  who  had  laid  up  much  goods  for  many 
years  ;  who  said  to  his  soul,  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink, 
and  be  merry.  "  But  God  said,  thou  fool,  this  night 
thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee.    Then  whose  shall 


176 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


these  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided  Having 
shovp^ed  the  foolishness  of  being  so  anxious  for  those 
things  which  they  must  soon  die  and  leave,  he  exhorts 
them  saying,  "But  rather  seek  ye  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
Then  he  turns  from  the  multitude  to  his  disciples, 
and  says,  "  Fear  not,  little  flock ;  for  it  is  your 
Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom." 
You  who  have  forsaken  houses  and  lands  and  all 
those  things  in  seeking  the  kingdom  of  God,  it  is  your 
Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom. 

But  that  teaching  which  says  the  kingdom  is 
already  established,  says  also,  that  all  those  things 
shall  be  added  in  this  life.  Some  of  God's  suffering 
poor,  under  such  teaching,  must  conclude  that  "  all 
these  things"  do  not  amount  to  much. 

How  often  have  the  pious  suffered  the  most  abject 
poverty.  They  have  even  perished  with  hunger. 
More  than  one  Lazarus  has  lain  at  the  rich  man's 
gate,  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which  fell 
from  his  table  ;  and  from  poverty  and  want  has 
been  escorted  by  angels  to  Abraham's  bosom.  To 
comfort  such  in  their  wretchedness,  they  are  told 
that  the  promise  means  all  the  good  things  which 
God  sees  necessary  for  them.  In  the  case  of  these 
destitute  ones,  such  a  qualification  of  the  promise  (7uts 
it  down  to  nothing, — to  absolute  destitution.  No, 
beloved  friend,  if  you  do  truly  seek  the  kingdom  of 
God.  the  promise  is  not  to  be  qualified.  Jesus  means 
all  he  says,  and  his  words  are  not  to  be  qualified  in 
such  a  way.    He  will  verify  his  word  fully  ;  yes,  they 


Christ's  reign  without  end.  17V 

will  surpass  "  exceedingly,  abundantly,  above  all  tha 
we  ask  or  think."  If  thou  art  in  poverty,  and  lad 
all  these  things,  let  not  your  heart  be  corroded  witi 
anxious  thought.  What  if  you  and  your  childrei 
even  die  with  hunger  ?  Jesus  says,  "  I  know  th} 
poverty  ;  but  thou  art  rich."  How  ?  "  Joint  heir,- 
with  Christ,"  who  is  heir  of  all  things.  He  was  rich 
but  for  our  sake  he  became  poor,  that  we  through  hi 
poverty  might  become  rich.  He  knows  not  only  thy 
poverty,  but  also  the  distress  of  long-continued  fast 
ing,  and  of  craving  hunger.  These  afflictions  whicl 
are  but  for  a  moment,  compared  with  eternity,  "  shal 
work  out  for  you  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eterna 
weight  of  glory"  in  the  world  to  come  "  at  his  appear 
ing  and  kingdom."  Then  all  these  things  shall  b( 
added  unto  you."  So  Christ  explained  the  promise 
for  he  follows  the  promise  with  an  exhortation  t( 
provide  themselves  with  a  treasure  in  the  heaven 
that  faileth  not,  where  no  thief  approacheth,  neithei 
moth  corrupteth.  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there 
will  your  heart  be  also." 

But  again,  Jesus  says,  Luke  xxi.  31,  "So  likewise 
ye,  when  ye  see  these  things  come  to  pass,  know  yr 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh  at  hand."  Th 
reader  may  learn  by  reading  Matthew  xxiv.  auv 
Matk  xiii.,  in   connexion   with    this   chapter  h 
Luke,  that  Christ  had  foretold  a  series  of  event; 
from  that  time  till  he  should  come  again.    He  say:* 
27 th  verse,  "  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  con, 
ing  in  a  cloud,  with  power  and  great  glory.  An 
when  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass,  then  loo]> 


178 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


up,  and  lift  up  your  heads,  for  your  redemption  draw- 
eth  nigh.''  And  "  when  ye  see  these  things  come  to 
pass,  then  know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  i'j  nigh 
at  hand — ^not  yet  come,  or  established,  only  nigh 
at  hand. 

Why  flatter  ourselves  that  we  have  a  king  reign- 
ing, before  his  kingdom  has  come?  before  he  has 
gathered  his  subjects  ?  Do  we  not  greatly  dishonor 
our  King  to  suppose  him  reigning  while  his  subjects 
are  scattered,  afflicted,  suffering,  perplexed,  in  trials 
and  distress,  buffeted  by  Satan,  their  names  cast  out 
as  evil  ?  He  is  not  reigning  ;  He  is  still  suffering  in 
sympathy  with  his  people.  He  is  seen  by  the  Reve- 
lator,  "  as  a  Lamb  newly  slain,"  before  the  throne,  a 
living  bleeding  sacrifice  for  his  people.  He  lives  a 
Priest,  he  pleads  his  sufferings  for  us.  His  kingdom 
is  not  established,  nor  will  it  be,  "  until  the  appearing 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  which  in  his  times  he  shall 
show  who  is  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  King 
of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.'' — 1  Tim.  vi.  15. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS  OF  THE  INHERITANCE. 

**  Thus  saith  the  Lord :  A  voice  was  heard  in  Ramah,  lamentation, 
and  bitter  weeping :  Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  refused  to  ba 
comforted  for  her  children,  because  they  were  not.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord :  refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine  eyes  from  tears ; 
for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  they  shall 
come  again  from  the  land  of  the  enemy.  And  there  is  hope  in 
thine  end,  saith  the  Lord,  that  thy  children  shall  come  again  to 
their  own  border." — Jer.  xxxi.  15-18. 

This  portion  of  Scripture  has  been  applied  to  the 
Jews  while  being  carried  away  captive  to  Babylon. 
And  Rachel  has  been  represented  as  rising  from  the 
grave,  and  weeping  over  her  descendants  as  they  go 
iDOund  into  captivity.  Those  who  so  interpret  it, 
find  in  the  same  Scripture  a  promise  of  their  return 
to  their  own  country  again.  "  They  shall  come  again 
from  the  land  of  the  enemy  ;  and  there  is  hope  in 
thine  end,  saith  the  Lord,  that  thy  children  shall 
come  again  to  their  own  border." 

However  interesting  and  plausible  such  an  inter 
pretation  may  appear,  yet  we  must  dissent  from  it, 
because  a  New  Testament  writer  has  taken  up  this 
very  scripture  and  explained  it  otherwise  :  therefore 


180 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


we  have  an  infallible  interpretation,  given  under  th« 
inspiration  of  God,  and  to  it  we  appeal. 

The  Evangelist  Matthew  claims  the  above  Scrip 
ture  as  a  prophecy,  and  says  that  it  was  fulfilled 
when  "  Herod  sent  forth  and  slew  all  the  childrei 
that  were  in  Bethlehem,  and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof 
from  two  years  old  and  under  according  to  the  tinu 
which  he  had  diligently  enquired  of  the  wise  men.* 
— Matt.  ii. 

The  rage  of  Satan,  as  manifested  through  that 
depraved  and  cruel  governor,  in  so  horrible  an 
outrage  on  humanity,  by  the  slaughter  of  so  many 
innocent  and  unofl'ending  children,  the  Spirit  of 
Inspiration  testified  of  beforehand,  by  the  prophet ; 
seeing  also,  that  it  was  intimately  connected  with 
the  first  advent  of  Christ ;  for  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  When  on  one 
occasion  the  brutal  hands  of  jealousy  were  dipped 
in  the  blood  of  little  children  throughout  all  that 
country,  opening  the  very  fountains  of  tenderness  in 
every  bosom,  causing  all  hearts  in  that  region  to 
bleed  with  anguish. 

Friends  could  not  go  abroad  to  sympathize  with 
friends ;  for  children*  were  massacred  everywhere, 
and  all  hearts  were  wrung  and  torn  with  anguish 
over  their  own  loved  ones  at  home,  murdered,  cold, 
and  lifeless.  The  sun  never  gave  light  on  another 
funeral  scene  such  as  followed  that  monstrous 
slaughter.  The  whole  country  were  seen  moving  in 
little  groups  while   the  piercing  wails  of  those 


1 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS. 


181 


broken-hearted  mothers  filled  all  the  land  as  they 
passed  slowly  on  to  the  burying-places  for  the  dead. 
Soon  those  places  were  crowded  with  persons  deeply 
interested,  for  all  were  mourners.  What  "  bitter 
weeping  and  lamentation  f  what  groans  and  cries 
from. those  stricken  mothers,  as  they  cling  to  the 
forms  of  their  innocent  ones,  so  soon  to  be  placed  in 
the  cold  prison-house  of  the  common  enemy,  death. 
And  after  they  had  "  buried  the  dead  out  of  their 
sight,"  still  they  all  wept,  for  all  were  heart-broken. 

Matthew  says,  "  then  was  fulfilled  that  which  was 
spoken  by  Jeremy  the  prophet,  saying,  in  Rama  was 
there  a  voice  heard,  lamentation,  and  weeping,  and 
great  mourning,  Rachel  weeping  for  her  children, 
and  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they  were  not." 

Who  could  minister  consolation,  or  what  would 
comfort  a  people  thus  afflicted,  living  under  a  govern- 
ment so  inhuman  that  would  for  the  least  pretence 
massacre  their  innocent  children  ?  To  whom  could 
they  turn  for  comfort?  *To  God,  who  beheld  the 
scene  and  knew  how  deep  was  the  affliction,  and 
knew  too  that  it  was  preparing  those  mourners  to 
sing  that  song  with  those  "  who  have  come  out  of 
great  tribulation  to  Him  who  alone  is  competent 
to  administer  consolation  to  any  thus  afflicted. 
Their  tears  were  numbered  ;  their  groans  and  their 
cries  came  before  Him.  He  also  had  given  up  his 
only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  a  lost  and  wicked 
world,  and  he  had  but  just  come  into  the  world  ; 
and  this  sign  follows  as  an  evidence  of  Satan's  rage. 
— Rev.  xii.  1-5. 


182 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


God  pitied  them ;  for  his  children  are  as  tender 
in  his  sight  as  the  apple  of  the  eye  ;  and  he  had 
foretold  the  scene  by  his  prophet,  and  had  prepared 
beforehand  words  of  consolation  for  those  afflicted 
families,  and  for  all  others  like  afflicted,  who  can 
believe  his  promise.  He  had  promised  those  mothers 
in  Israel,  as  found  in  the  text,  that  he  would  watch 
over  even  the  very  dust  of  those  infant  martyrs  for 
Jesus  ;  that  he  would  restore  them  alive  again  as 
innocent  and  much  more  beautiful  and  glorious 
than  when  torn  from  their  embrace  by  the  ruthless 
hand  of  death  ;  that  he  would  restore  them  not 
only  to  their  believing  mothers,  but  also  to  their 
own  land  and  country,  under  a  peaceful  and  right- 
eous government,  that  glorious  kingdom  and  everlast- 
ing reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  even  Him  for 
whom  they  had  been  martyred.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  :  refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine 
eyes  from  tears  ;  for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded, 
saith  the  Lord  ;  and  they  shall  come  again  from  the 
land  of  the  enemy.  And  there  is  hope  in  thine  end, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  thy  children  shall  come  again 
to  their  own  border." 

These  truths  as  brought  to  view  by  the  prophet, 
that  the  land  of  the  enemy  is  the  grave  where  those 
children  were  carried,  and  the  promise  of  God  that 
they  shall  come  again  to  their  own  country,  where 
the  care  and  work  of  those  mothers  shall  be  rewarded, 
explained  by  Inspiration  through  the  Evangelist, 
show  that  this  earth  shall  be  the  final  inheritance  of 
the  saints,  when  all  their  foes  shall  be  conquered,  and 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS. 


183 


the  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death/* 
1  Cor.  XV.  26.  And  when  God  shall  set  his  hand 
again  to  renew  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  Abraham 
shall  receive  his  inheritance,  and  "Daniel  shall  stand 
in  his  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days,'^  then  shall  those 
little  ones  return  from  the  land  of  the  enemy,  the 
grave,  and  shall  come  to  Zion  with  songs  of  praise 
and  everlasting  joy  on  their  heads.  Those  babes 
"ttlso  who  were  slain  in  Egypt  by  Pharaoh's  cruel 
decree  shall  come  ;  so  shall  all  those  who  have  fallen 
by  death  in  infancy. 

"  Our  children  thou  dost  claim, 
And  mark  them  out  for  thine : 
Ten  thousand  blessings  to  thj  name, 
For  goodness  so  divine." 

Some  suppose  the  Bible  to  be  quite  silent  on  the 
subject  of  the  salvation  of  infants.  But  that  they  are 
saved  is  a  truth  clearly  revealed.  So  taught  our 
Lord  and  the  Apostles,  as  well  as  the  "  sure  word  of 
prophecy."  "  But  Jesus  said,  suffer  little  children  and 
forbid  them  not  to  come  unto  me  :  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." — Matt.  xix.  14.  Again  it  is 
written,  "And  they  brought  young  children  unto 
him,  that  he  should  touch  them  ;  and  his  disciples 
rebuked  those  who  brought  them.  But  when  Jesus 
saw  it,  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said  unto  them, 
suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Yerily 
I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  therein 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Ind  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms,  put  his  hands  on 
Aem  and  blessed  them/' — Mark  x.  13-16. 

"  See  Israel's  gentle  Shepherd  stand, 
With  all  engaging  charms ; 
Hark,  how  he  calls  the  tender  lambs, 

And  folds  them  in  his  arms. 
•Permit  them  to  approach/  he  cries, 

*  Nor  scorn  their  humble  name  ; 
For  'twas  to  bless  such  souls  as  these, 
The  Lord  of  angels  came/  " 

"  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.''  As  much  as 
hough  he  had  said,  These  are  the  subjects  of  my 
vingdom.  They  are  saved  ;  no  better  testimony  is 
leeded.  Should  Christ  say  of  a  Church,  or  any 
3lass  of  persons,  "  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God,'' 
the  evidence  of  their  acceptance  would  be  satisfac- 
tory. 

This  conclusion  the  Apostle  Paul  sustains,  Rom. 
V.  18.  "  Therefore  as  by  the  offence  of  one  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation,  even  so  by  the 
righteousness  of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men 
unto  justification  of  life." 

"  By  the  offence  of  one,"  that  is,  Adam,  "judgment 
came  upon  all  men  unto  condemnation."  In  Adam 
all  were  condemned.  "  Even  so  by  the  righteousness 
of  one,"  that  is  Christ,  "  the  free  gift  came  upon  all 
men  unto  justification  of  life."  In  Christ  all  are 
freely  justified.  If  the  all  is  unlimited  in  Adam,  it  in 
equally  so  in  Christ.  But  if  the  free  unmerited  gift 
of  justification  has  come  upon  all  through  Christ, 
'*thcn  will  not  all  be  saved?"  inquires  those  who 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS. 


185 


catch  at  the  slightest  hope.  The  answer  is  that  all 
those  who  have  not  transgressed  personally,  them- 
selves, will  most  assuredly  be  saved.  All  mankind 
having  been  brought  into  the  world  in  a  state  of 
infancy  since  Adam's  fall,  though  under  the  condem- 
nation of  Adam's  sin,  yet  God  has  granted  them  a 
free  justification  through  Christ.  Therefore  we  are 
forbid  to  say,  "  The  fathers  have  eatqji  sour  grapes 
and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge."  "But 
every  one  shall  die  for  his  own  iniquity."  "  The 
soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die." 

We  know  that  this  text  in  Romans  is  claimed  to 
teach  the  salvation  of  all  mankind ;  but  if  this  text 
is  the  only  ground  of  their  hope,  there  is  nothing 
more  sure  than  that  all  mankind  who  are  grown  up 
in  sin  are  lost ;  for  the  sentence  of  death  is  still  out 
against  the  transgressor  ;  and  no  man  lives  who  has 
not  sinned.  If  this  is  the  extent  of  the  atonement, 
none  but  infants  can  be  saved.  We  see,  therefore, 
that  this  boasted  text  for  universal  salvation  does  not 
reach  the  case  of  any  personal  transgressor. 

The  atonement  extends  still  further  than  this  text, 
thanks  be  to  our  Father  in  heaven,  so  that  even  for 
those  who  have  personally  transgressed,  there  is  sal- 
vation. God  can  be  just  and  justify  even  actual  sin- 
ners, who  believe  in  Jesus  ;  therefore  we  plead  for 
mercy  in  his  name. 

The  above  testimony  is  sufficient  that  all  are  freely 
justified  in  infancy,  and  that  those  who  die  in  that 
state  are  saved.  Therefore  says  God  to  those  whose 
children  have  been  cut  off  in  infancy,  "they  shall 


186 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


come  again  from  the  land  of  the  enemy."  Christ 
shall  destroy  their  enemy,  death,  and  raise  them  from 
the  dead,  and  beautify  them  with  salvation,  even 
more  beautiful  than  when  in  health  they  looked  up 
and  smiled  on  you,  before  death  took  them  from  your 
embrace,  breaking  all  those  tender  fibres  of  your  soul. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  you,  weeping  mother,  "  refrain 
thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine  eyes  from  tears  ; 
for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the  Lord." 

These  truths  greatly  endear  that  blessed  inherit- 
ance to  us.  Who  will  not  have  some  little  friends 
gathered  there,  to  fill  most  gloriously  the  place  God 
has  appointed  them  in  that  heavenly  country  ?  Thy 
toil,  thy  trials,  thy  pains,  thy  love,  shall  not  be  lost, 
for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the  Lord." 
God  has  something  very  glorious  in  reserve  for  you, 
believing  mothers,  and  for  those  jewels  of  his  grace, 
in  that  inheritance,  as  we  shall  see. 

John,  the  beloved  disciple,  who  was  banished  on 
the  isle  of  Patmos  for  the  word  of  the  Lord,  was  per- 
mitted to  see  glorious  visions  of  Canaan,  as  it  shall 
be  in  the  glorified  and  heavenly  state.  And  among 
other  things  he  saw  that  blessed  infant  band  of 
cherubs,  as  they  shall  be  when  God  shall  redeem  their 
bodies  from  the  grave,  standing  with  the  Lamb  of 
God  on  Mount  Zion — Mount  Zion  so  highly  celebrated 
for  its  glory  and  beauty  by  the  inspired.bards  of  Israel. 
"  Beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth  is 
Mount  Zion,"  even  in  its  degenerate  state  under  the 
curse,  but  when  restored,  filled  with  the  glory  of 
God. 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS. 


187 


At  the  commencement  of  the  book  of  Revelation, 
it  is  written,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth  and  they 
that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those 
things  which  are  written  therein. Some  of  those 
heavenly  scenes  which  John  has  recorded  seem  almost 
like  bringing  before  us  that  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  "  when 
he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be 
admired  in  all  them  that  believe.'^  In  the  following 
scene  we  see  the  prayer  of  the  Psalmist  answered, 
"  Let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  King.'' 

"And  I  looked,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the 
Mount  Zion,  and  with  him  an  hundred  forty  and  four 
thousand,  having  his  Father's  name  written  in  their 
foreheads.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  as  the 
voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder  :  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping 
with  their  harps.  And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new 
song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts, 
and  the  elders  :  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song 
but  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which 
were  redeemed  from  the  earth.  These  are  they 
which  were  not  defiled  with  women  :  for  they  are 
virgins.  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth.  These  were  redeemed  from 
among  men,  being  the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  the 
Lamb.  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile  :  for 
they  are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  G-cd," 
Eev.  xiv.  1-5. 

Whoever  carefully  examines  the  above  definite 
description  of  character,  will  acknowledge,  we  think, 


188 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


that  i  fc  can  be  applied  to  no  class  of  beings  on  earth 
or  in  heaven  except  to  redeemed  infants. 

They  were  of  mankind,  for  "  they  were  redeemed 
from  among  men,"  the  subjects  of  redeeming  grace. 

"  And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the 
throne ;  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but  the 
hundred  forty  and  four  thousand." 

The  definite  number,  ^'  an  hundred  forty  and  four 
thousand,"  is  chosen  for  an  indefinite  number,  for  a 
vast  multitude,  as  in  other  places  in  Revelation. 
For  instance,  twelve  thousand  are  sealed  of  each  of 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  Rev.  vii. :  making  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  ;  not  that  there  was 
just  that  number  saved  of  each  tribe,  but  that  at  the 
time  to  which  the  Revelator  alluded  the  number  that 
would  be  saved  will  be  completed,  and  definitely 
fixed,  for  the  day  of  salvation  will  be  passed. 

Why  could  not  others  in  that  heavenly  state  learn 
the  song  which  this  company  sang  ?  If  it  was 
written  angels  could  not  learn  the  song,  then  it 
would  have  been  true  of  all  the  redeemed  ;  for  the 
song  of  redemption  is  a  song  which  angels  cannot 
sing.  "  No  man  could  learn  that  song  but"  this 
company.  Infants  will  sing  a  different  song  from 
adults.  Adults  will  sing  a  song  of  redemption  from 
actual  transgression,  while  infants  will  sing  a  song 
of  redemption  from  that  original  sin,  and  condemna- 
tion in  Adam. 

''These  are  they  which  are  not  defiled  with 
women  :  for  they  are  virgins." 

Woman  was  the  first  in  the  transgression  ;  and 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS. 


these  had  never  followed  the  example ;  had  never 
committed  actual  sin.  According  to  the  word  of 
God,  those  are  virgins  with  him  who  have  never 
placed  their  affections  on  the  world,  or  on  improper 
objects  of  adoration.  They  had  worshipped  only  at 
the  altar  of  God.  "  These  are  they  which  follow  the 
Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth." 

Christians  follow  Christ  sometimes ;  and  some- 
times they  do  not ;  but  these  have  never  committed 
sin,  they  follow  Christ  in  meekness  through  suffering 
and  death,  and  the  resurrection,  and  they  shall  be 
with  him  on  the  holy  Mount  Zion. 

"These  were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being 
the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb." 

Being  early  ripe,  in  infancy,  they  were  taken  away 
from  the  evil  to  come,  a  rich  and  glorious  harvest. 
Opening  buds  plucked  from  this  mortal  state  before 
corrupted  by  the  cankering  worm,  to  bloom  for  ever 
in  immortality  in  the  coming  kingdom  of  God.  The 
first  choice  fruit  of  redeeming  grace  ;  those  precious 
ones  which  he  shall  gather  when  he  maketh  up  the 
jewels  of  his  love. 

Some  have  supposed,  because  they  are  called  "  the 
first-fruits,"  that  they  must  be  those  who  were  raised 
from  the  dead  at  the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  but  those 
then  raised  would  not  answer  the  description  given 
of  this  class,  neither  can  it  be  applied  in  truth  to 
adults.  "First-fruits"  is  variously  applied  in  the 
scriptures. 

"  Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead  and  become 
the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept :"  In  this  text  Christ 


190 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


is  called  "  the  first-fruits"  of  God's  great  harvest^  the 
resurrection  of  the  righteous  dead. 

"  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of 
truth  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  first-fruits  of  his 
creatures.''  In  this  text  the  apostle  James  represents 
himself  and  his  brethren  as  a  kind  of  first-fruits  of 
the  gospel  dispensation  or  Christian  church. 

"  Ye  know  the  house  of  Stephanas,  that  it  is  the 
first-fruits  of  Achaia."  Here  Stephanas'  family  is 
called  the  first-fruits  of  the  gospel  in  Achaia ;  and  in 
the  subject  before  us  those  who  die  in  infancy  are 
called  "  the  first-fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb,"  and 
are  saved  under  that  first,  unconditional  applica- 
tion of  the  atonement,  which  would  have  saved  all  of 
the  descendants  of  Adam,  had  none  of  them  trans- 
gressed personally.  They  are  those  who  were  saved 
in  the  great  work  of  redemption  under  that  general 
application  of  the  atonement  to  which  we  have 
referred.  Rom.  v.  18.  Therefore  are  they  called 
"  the  first-fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb." 

"  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile  :  for  they 
are  without  fault  before  the  Throne  of  God." 

They  had  never  sinned,  in  their  mouth  was  found 
no  guile ;  no  craft,  deceit,  duplicity,  treachery,  nor 
sin.  Had  it  been  written,  in  their  mouth  is  no  guile, 
it  would  have  been  applicable  to  all  the  redeemed 
being  purified ;  but  it  is  written  in  the  past  tense, 
was  found  no  guile."  They  had  never  transgressed. 
Those  grown  up  in  sin,  though  pardoned  and  saved, 
yet  they  are  sinners  pardoned  ;  but  "  these  are  with 
out  fault  before  the  throne  of  God." 


INFANTS  LAWFUL  HEIRS.  191 

This  multitude  of  infants  will  not  be  helpless  as  wher 
in  this  state.  "  There  shall  be  no  more  thence  an  in- 
fant of  days,  nor  an  old  man  that  has  not  filled  his 
days,"  i.  e.,  neither  the  weaknesses  of  infancy,  nor  the 
infirmities  of  old  age.  "  But  they  which  are  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  that  world  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead  are  equal  unto  the  angels,''  who  excel 
in  strength  and  wisdom  as  well  as  beauty  and  glory. 

^'Rachel  weeping  for  her  children  refused  to  be 
comforted  for  her  children  because  they  were  not." 
They  are  not  to  you,  yet  they  are  to  God  ;  "  for  all 
live  unto  him,"  and  he  will  bring  them  again  from 
the  land  of  the  enemy.  Think  you,  that  then  you 
^ill  regret  their  being  torn  away  from  you  ?  I  know 
the  heart  bleeds  and  the  very  cords  of  life  are  broken, 
and  that  the  Holy  One  alone  is  able  to  render  conso- 
lation. Then  look  to  Him  beyond  the  present  appa- 
rent severity,  and  behold  the  goodness  of  God  and 
see  if  He  will  not  reward  thy  labor  and  work  on  these 
jewels  of  thine.  Will  you  not  be  among  the  first  to 
glorify  and  admire  your  blessed  Lord  in  this  his  work 
of  exalting  these  precious  ones  to  be  like  himself  in 
purity,  excellency,  and  glory  ? 

These  truths,  as  seen  in  the  word  of  God,  are  con- 
stantly increasing  our  interest  in  that  heavenly  coun- 
try, where  this  company  of  "harpers  with  their 
harps"  shall  sing  that  untold  song  of  praise  with  the 
Lamb  on  Mount  Zion.  "When  these  little  ones  are 
^oriously  adorned  with  heavenly  robes  and  are 
gathered  in  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  to  Mount 
Zion,  having  harps  shall  sing  praises  to  the  Lamb 


192 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


who  has  redeemed  them,  how  it  will  reveal  the  glory 
of  that  gentle  Shepherd,  who,  while  in  the  flesh, 
kindly  took  them  in  his  arms  and  blessed  them,  say- 
ing, "  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God."  Then  Mount 
Zion  will  be  truly  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth. 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  a  voice  was  heard  in 
Ramah,  lamentation,  and  bitter  weeping ;  Rachel 
weeping  for  her  children  refused  to  be  comforted  for 
her  children,  because  they  were  not.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord ;  refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine  eyes 
from  tears :  for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  and  they  shall  come  again  from  the  land  of  the 
enemy.  And  there  is  hope  in  thine  end,  saith  the 
Lord,  that  thy  children  shall  come  again  to  their  owa 
border." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 

**For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to 
come,  whereof  we  speak." — Heb.  ii.  5. 

Those  high  and  holy  beings  who  stand  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  delight  to  do  his  commandments, 
are  represented  throughout  the  Scriptures  as  being 
deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  men,  in  the  affairs 
of  the  world,  in  seeking  to  restore  this  revolted 
dominion  to  its  lawful  Sovereign,  in  the  restoration  of 
its  inhabitants  to  a  peaceful  possession  of  their  for- 
feited inheritance  ;  and  the  inference  from  this  text 
is,  that  this  world  is,  in  its  present  state,  put  in  sub- 
jection to  the  angels. 

The  apostle,  just  previous  to  the  text,  having 
spoken  of  the  work  and  ministry  of  angels,  says, 

For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast,  and 
every  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just 
recompense  of  reward  ;  how  shall  Ave  escape  if  we 
neglect  so  great  salvation/'  Stephen  also  in  his 
defence  before  the  Jewish  counsel,  while  enumerating 
the  sins  of  their  fathers,  said,  "  Who  have  received  the 
law  by  the  disposition  of  angels,  and  have  not  kept  it  f 
but  the  world  to  come  he  hath  not  put  in  subjection  to 
angels.    Those  who  are  accounted  worthy  to  attain 

9 


194 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


unto  that  age,  will  be  their  equals,  when  all  things 
shall  be  restored  in  subjection  to  man  as  originally, 
with  the  Creator  in  glorified  humanity  at  their  head. 
This  idea  is  beautifully  expressed  in  the  following 
verse  by  Doctor  Watts. 

"  The  world  to  come,  redeemed  from  all 
The  miseries  which  attend  the  fall, 
New  made,  and  glorious,  shall  submit 
At  our  exalted  Saviour's  feet." 

Man  in  this  present  state  is  in  his  infancy ;  he 
comes  into  being  the  most  feeble  and  helpless  of  crea- 
tures, but  God  has  set  before  him,  in  the  Gospel,  the 
hope  of  becoming  the  highest  and  most  glorious  of 
created  beings. 

Did  that  fallen  angel,  the  Devil,  envy  man  while 
in  that  blessed  state  of  innocency,  how  does  his 
envy  rage  now,  knowing,  as  he  does,  that  humanity 
shall  be  exalted  higher  than  before  the  fall,  even  to 
the  throne  of  the  Eternal  God  in  the  person  of 
Christ  ?  and  that  Christ  now  says  to  those  who  over- 
come that  wicked  one  "  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in 
my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down 
with  my  Father  in  his  throne.'' 

"  How  poor,  how  rich,  how  abject,  how  august, 
How  complicate,  how  wonderful,  is  man  I 
How  passing  wonder  He  who  made  him  such  I 
Who  centred  in  onr  m;ike  such  Btnmge  extremes! 
From  different  natures  marvellously  mixed. 
Connexion  exquisite  of  distant  worlds  I 
Distinguished  link  in  being*s  endless  chain  I 


MINISTRY  OP  ANGELS. 


196 


Midway  from  nothing  to  the  Deity  I 
A  beam  ethereal,  sullied  and  absorbed  1 
Though  sullied  and  dishonored,  still  divine 
Dim  miniature  of  greatness  absolute  I 
An  heir  of  glory!  a  frail  child  of  dust! 
Helpless  immortal  I  insect  infinite  I 
A  worm  I  a  god  I" — Young. 

But  our  Heavenly  Father  has  made  ample  pro- 
visions for  us  in  our  weakness  and  infancy  in  this 
present  fallen  state.  He  has  not  only  given  his  Son 
to  redeem  us  from  the  fall,  to  raise  and  exalt  us  to 
himself,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  to  take  the  things  of 
Christ  and  show  them  unto  us,  but  also,  pitying  us  as 
a  father  pities  his  children,  he  has  commissioned  the 
holy  angels  to  become  our  guardians. 

"  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth 
to  minister  for  those  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation 
In  our  very  infancy  they  begin  this  labor  of  love. 
Jesus  having  placed  a  little  child  in  IJie  midst  of  his 
disciples,  said,  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one 
of  these  little  ones  :  for  I  say  unto  you  that  in  heaven 
their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father.^' 

Not  one  alone  to  accompany  them,  but  many  ; 
•  "  their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father." 
Think  of  it,  anxious  parent.  Those  holy  beings 
sympathize  with  you,  in  deep  solicitude  for  the  wel- 
fare of  your  children.  You  cannot  endure  the 
thought  of  their  being  despised,  or  even  slighted  ; 
neither  can  Jesus.  "  Take  heed  that  you  despise  not 
one  of  these  little  ones,''  for  their  angels  will  appear 
against  you  before  "  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in 


196 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


heaven.''  How  precious  is  a  little  child  in  the  sight . 
of  God  and  the  holy  angels,  as  seen  in  the  light  of  this 
declaration  by  Him  who  alone  can  reveal  the  mind 
of  the  Father.  Again  says  Christ,  "Whoso  shall 
receive  one  such  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth 
me."  Again,  "  It  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone 
were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  sea, 
than  that  he  should  offend  one  of  these  little  ones," 
or  cause  one  of  these  little  ones  to  stumble.  Such  a 
revelation  of  the  interest  manifested  m  heaven  in  be- 
half of  a  child,  speaks  volumes  of  man's  high  destiny, 
of  the  worth  of  the  soul,  of  the  eternal  weight  of  glory 
which  shall  encircle  the  redeemed  in  the  endless  age 
to  come.  Therefore  said  Jesus,  "  There  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth." 

The  angels  are  represented  as  taking  part  in  the 
affairs  of  this  world  as  early  as  the  fall ;  at  which 
time  man  seems  to  have  been  placed  in  subordination 
to  them.  "  So  he  drove  out  the  man  ;  and  he  placed 
at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  Cherubims,  and  a 
flaming  sword,  which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life."  And  in  the  history  of  the 
world,  whenever  those  holy  beings  have  been  seen, 
they  have  been  found  deeply  interested  in  the  affairs 
of  men  ;  either  aiding,  assisting,  and  ministering  to 
the  humble,  obedient  servants  of  God,  or  opposing, 
resisting,  and  executing  the  wrath  of  an  offended 
God  on  those  who  will  not  submit  to  his  righteous 
government. 

How  encouraging  to  the  humble  servants  of  God 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


197 


to  know  that  the  Eternal  Jehovah  is  not  only  eng-aged 
in  their  salvation,  but  that  He  has  given  charge  to 
all  those  holy  intelligences  who  dwell  in  his  presence, 
and  delight  in  his  commandments,  to  minister  to  his 
children,  to  deal  kindly  with  them,  to  aid  them  in  the 
way  of  righteousness.  And  how  appalling  to  the 
disobedient,  to  know  that  not  only  the  Eternal  is 
arrayed  against  them,  for  their  resistance  to  his 
righteous  government,  but  also  all  those  mighty 
beings  who  obey  his  commandments  stand  ready  to 
execute  on  them  his  indignation. 

"  Though  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place, 
beholding  the  evil  and  the  good,"  yet  when  the  sins 
of  Sodom  had  increased  beyond  forbearance,  and  the 
Lord  personally,  in  company  with  two  angels,  visits 
Abraham,  "  the  friend  of  God,"  to  inform  him  of  what 
he  is  about  to  do,  he  speaks  of  Sodom  only  in  refer- 
ence to  the  reports,  which  had  been  brought  to  him 
by  those  holy  beings  who  came  before  him  in  faithful- 
ness with  the  dark  and  loathsome  crimes  of  Sodom  ; 
showing  that  the  angels  have  charge  of  the  affairs  of 
this  world. 

The  courteous  conversation  of  the  Lord  with  the 
angels,  and  with  "  Abraham,  his  friend,"  is  worthy 
our  special  notice.  As  they  were  walking  towards 
Sodom,  "  and  Abraham  went  with  them,  to  bring 
them  on  their  way,"  the  Lord  said,  addressing  the 
angels,  "  Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham  that  thing  wliich 
I  do  ?"  How  much  like  Jesus,  while  with  his  disci- 
ples He  says,  ^'  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants  ; 
for  the  servant  knoweth  not  what  his  Lord  doeth  ; 


198 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


but  I  have  called  you  friends  ;  for  all  things  that  I 
have  heard  of  my  Father,  I  have  made  known  to 
you."  The  Lord  proceeds  to  offer  a  reason  for  tell- 
ing him  :  "  Seeing  that  Abraham  shall  surely  become 
a  great  and  mighty  nation,  and  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him  ;  for  I  know  him,  that 
he  will  command  his  children  and  his  household  after 
him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do 
justice  and  judgment ;  that  the  Lord  may  bring  upon 
Abraham  that  which  he  hath  spoken  of  him.  And 
the  Lord  said,  Because  the  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah is  great,  and  because  their  sin  is  very  grievous, 
I  will  go  down  now,  and  see  whether  they  have  done 
altogether  according  to  the  cry  of  it,  which  is  come 
unto  me  ;  and  if  not,  I  will  know." — Gen.  xviii. 

We  are  here  taught,  that  while  angels  are  set 
over  the  affairs  of  this  world,  they  faithfully  bring 
all  the  acts  of  men  before  the  Lord  for  the  wisdom 
of  his  counsel,  and  to  wait  his  commands  ;  and, 
although  God  is  omniscient,  yet  before  he  will  "  do 
his  strange  work,"  that  of  executing  judgment  on 
the  wicked,  he  will  personally  examine  their  case. 
He  says  :  "  I  will  go  down  now  and  see  whether 
they  have  done  altogether  according  to  the  cry  of 
it,  which  is  come  unto  me ;  and  if  not,  I  will  know.'' 
Hence  Christ  refers  to  the  overthrow  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  to  illustrate  the  judgment  scene. 

All  the  hosts  of  heaven  are  engaged  in  man's  well- 
doing, yet  his  sins  cry  aloud  for  the  judgment  of 
God  I    What  swift  witnesses  will  those  heavenly 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


199 


messengers  become  against  the  finally  impenitent  in 
the  day  of  judgment  I 

"  And  the  men  turned  their  faces  from  thence,  and 
went  towards  Sodom." 

A.ngels  were  often  taken  to  be  men,  and  are  ' 
described  in  the  Scriptures  as  having  the  appearancb 
of  men.    It  appears  that  Abraham  had  entertained 
the  Lord  and  these  two  angels  as  three  men,  stran- 
gers.— Gen.  xviii.  1,  2. 

The  angels  went  to  give  those  among  the  Sodom- 
ites for  whom  there  was  any  hope,  their  last  warning, 
and  to  separate  the  few  righteous  from  the  wicked. 
"But  Abraham  stood  before  the  Lord."  Thus 
honored,  the  father  of  the  faithful  stood  before  the 
Lord.  It  seems,  as  they  were  walking  and  talking, 
God  having  revealed  the  terrible  truth  to  Abraham, 
that  he  steps  in  before  him,  as  a  friend  would  step 
before  another,  that  he  might  stop  him,  and^there  he 
pleads  before  him,  truly,  as  a  "  friend "  pleading 
with  a  friend,  for  that  doomed  people. 

And  oh  !  what  an  argument  he  brings  before  the 
righteous  Judge  of  all  the  earth  !  "  And  Abraham 
drew  near  and  said.  Wilt  thou  also  destroy  the 
righteous  with  the  wicked  ? "  Abraham  knew  the 
Lord,  and  he  knew  how  to  approach  him  ;  "  for  he 
was  the  friend  of  God."  Oh,  honored  man!  He 
knew  that  the  Lord  loved  the  righteous,  and  that  he 
was  a  just  God  ;  and  he  continued  to  plead. 

"  Peradventure  there  be  fifty  righteous  within  the 
city  :  wilt  thou  also  destroy  and  not  spare  the  place 
for  the  fifty  righteous  that  are  therein  ?   That  be  far 


200 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


from  thee  to  do  after  this  manner,  to  slay  the 
righteous  with  the  wicked ;  and  that  the  righteous 
be  as  the  wicked,  that  be  far  from  thee.  Shall  not 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ? 

"And  the  Lord  said.  If  I  find  in  Sodom  fifty  right- 
eous within  the  city,  then  I  will  spare  all  the  place 
for  their  sakes." 

Though  Abraham  was  "  called  the  friend  of  God," 
and  he  had  just  entertained  Him  at  his  tent  as  a  • 
friend,  also  two  of  the  heavenly  messengers  With 
him,  not  as  humble  servants,  but  as  four  friends  they 
met,  and  sat  together  ;  they  had  walked,  and  talked 
together.  But  when  Abraham  hears  the  answer  of 
God  to  his  pleading,  and  sees  how  he  regards  the 
righteous  ;  that  he  would  not  only  save  the  righteous, 
but  spare  the  whole  place  for  their  sakes,  he  is 
greatly  humbled. 

"  And* Abraham  answered  and  said,  Behold  now  I 
have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  before  the  Lord,  which 
am  but  dust  and  ashes." 

Though  he  is  greatly  humbled,  and  feels  his  own 
nothingness  while  standing  before  the  Lord,  still  his 
argument  had  such  power,  he  pleads  on  with  humble 
boldness  ;  he  lowers  down  the  number,  and  pleads 
again,  and  the  Lord  grants  his  request.  And  still 
he  lowers  down  the  number  and  pleads,  and  still  the 
Lord  grants  his  request ;  and  every  answer  seems  to 
humble  "  the  friend  of  God."  And  yet  he  is  embold- 
ened to  plead  ;  and  finally  cries,  "  Oh,  let  not  the 
Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak  yet  but  this  once  ; 
Peradventure  ton  shall  be  found  there.    And  he  said, 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


201 


1  will  not  destroy  it  for  ten's  sake.  And  the  Lord 
went  his  way  as  soon  as  he  had  left  communing  with 
Abraham  ;  and  Abraham  returned  to  his  place.'' 
That  night  Lot,  in  entertaining  strangers,  "  enter- 
tained angels  unawares,"  as  Abraham  had  the  day 
before. 

"  And  there  came  two  angels  to  Sodom  at  even- 
ing ;  and  Lot  sat  in  the  gate  of  Sodom  ;  and  Lot 
seeing  them,  rose  up  to  meet  them  ;  and  he  bowed 
himself  with  his  face  toward  the  ground :  and  he 
said.  Behold  now,  my  lords,  turn  in,  I  pray  you,  into 
your  servant's  house  and  tarry  all  night,  and  wash 
your  feet,  and  ye  shall  rise  up  early,  and  go  on  your 
ways.  And  they  said.  Nay  ;  but  we  will  abide  in 
the  street  all  night.  And  he  pressed  upon  them 
greatly  ;  and  they  turned  in  unto  him,  and  entered 
into  his  house  ;  and  he  made  them  a  feast,  and  did 
bake  unleavened  bread,  and  they  did  eat,"  Gen.  xix. 

Happy  for  Lot,  and  praise  to  God,  for  his  saving 
grace,  that  the  communications  of  that  polluted 
loathsome  city  had  not  "  corrupted  his  good  man- 
ners." 

Lot  had  been  accustomed  to  better  society  ;  he 
was  the  friend  of  Abraham,  and  had  been  reared 
with  him  until  manhood,  and  his  influence  was  not 
lost.  But  he  had  been  "  vexed  with  the  filthy  con- 
versation of  the  wicked  ;  for  that  righteous  mar 
dwelling  among  them,  in  seeing  and  hearing  ;  vexed 
his  righteous  soul  from  day  to  day  with  their  unlaw 
ful  deeds." 

Yet  Lot  is  affable  and  kind,  he  does^not  know  the 
9* 


202  THE  saints'  inheritance. 


errand  of  the  strangers,  nor  stop  to  inquire  who  they 
are,  or  of  their  standing  and  dignity  ;  but  it  was 
enough  for  him  to  know  that  strangers  in  their  way 
had  stopped  to  tarry  for  the  night  in  that  corrupt 
city. 

In  that  age  travellers  being  dependent  on  the 
hospitality  of  the  people,  the  good  man  hastened  to 
meet  them,  and  bowing  himself  most  respectfully, 
welcomes  them,  and  generously  offers  to  entertain 
them  in  his  own  house  ;  and  while  they  modestly 
declined,  offering  to  tarry  in  the  street,  as  many  of 
the  poor,  perhaps,  did,  "he  pressed  upon  them 
greatly;"  for  the  good  man  knew,  not  only  how 
corrupt  the  people  were,  but  also  that  there  was  no 
generosity  in  the  place. 

Sodom  was  like  the  present  age  in  that  respect. 
The  earth  now  brings  forth  an  abundance,  and  the 
proud  and  haughty  roll  in  luxury  and  wealth,  while 
the  children  of  the  poor,  being  neglected,  have  to 
beg  ;  and  are  even  seen  in  our  cities  gathering  with 
their  tiny  hands  the  crumbs  which  are  cast  aside  in 
pails  and  tubs  for  the  swine. 

"  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  Sodom  thy  sister 
hath  not  done,  she  nor  her  daughters,  as  thou  hast 
done,  thou  and  thy  daughters.  Behold,  this  was  the 
iniquity  of  thy  sister  Sodom,  pride,  fulness  of  bread 
and  abundance  of  idleness  was  in  her  and  in  her 
daughters,  neither  did  she  strengthen  the  hands  of 
the  poor  and  needy.  And  they  were  haughty,  and 
committed  abomination  before  me :  therefore  I  took 
them  away  a^  I  saw  good." 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


20S 


This  cliarge  could  not  be  brought  against  Sarah, 
Abraham^s  wife,  who  had  with  her  own  hands  made 
cakes  for  those  same  noble  guests  ;  while  she  consi' 
dered  them  only  travellers,  who  being  on  their  journey 
had  stopped  near  her  tent,  under  a  shade-tree  to  rest 
themselves.  How"  many  mothers  or  daughters  of 
households  as  wealthy  as  Abraham's,  would  in  these 
days,  knead  dough,  and  make  cakes  with  their  own 
hands  in  charity  for  strangers  ? 

Two  angels  are  Lot's  guests,  but  it  is  Sodom's  last 
night,  and  her  darkest  in  depravity ;  for  God  had 
numbered  the  days  of  Sodom,  and  finished  them,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  had  left  the  people.  Oh,  dreadful 
state !  They  ran  mad  in  corruption ;  their  crimes, 
which  may  not  be  named,  called  loudly  for  the  fire  of 
an  offended  God. 

But  why  are  angels  there?  Because  there  is  a 
righteous  man  in  the  city,  and  he  needs  their  presence 
and  their  guardian  care,  for  he  must  be  taken  away 
before  the  fire  of  a  just  God  can  fall  on  the  wicked. 

How  precious  is  a  good  maa  for  a  friend !  Even 
as  many  of  his  friends  as  can  be  prevailed  on  to  leave 
are  saved  for  his  sake.  But  how  terribly  wretched 
is  that  people  from  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  has  with- 
drawn! Their  mad  passions  would  corrupt  every- 
thing pure  in  the  city,  seeking  even  vengeance  on 
Lot  for  his  kindness  to  the  strangers.  "  And  they 
pressed  sore  upon  the  man,  even  Lot,  and  came  near 
to  break  the  door.  But  the  men  (the  angels)  put 
forth  their  hand  and  pulled  Lot  into  the  house  to 
them,  and  shut  to  the  door.    And  they  ^mote  the  men 


204 


THE  SAIXTS'  INHERITANCE. 


that  were  at  the  door  of  the  house  with  blindness, 
both  small  and  great ;  so  that  they  wearied  them- 
selves to  find  the  door.  And  the  men  said  unto  Lot, 
Hast  thou  any  here  besides?  Son-in-law,  and  thy 
sons,  and  thy  daughters,  and  whatsoever  thou  hast  in 
the  city,  bring  them  out  of  this  place  ;  for  we  will 
destroy  this  place,  because  the  cry  of  them  is  waxen 
great  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  Lord  hath 
sent  us  to  destroy  it.  And  Lot  went  out  and  spake 
unto  his  sons-in-law,  which  married  his  daughters, 
and  said.  Up,  get  you  out  of  this  place  ;  for  the  Lord 
will  destroy  this  city  ;  but  he  seemed  as  one  that 
mocked  unto  his  sons-in-law." 

As  blind  as  they  were  corrupt,  they  could  see  no 
danger  ;  peace  and  prosperity  and  a  long  life  was 
before  them.  In  their  estimation  Lot  was  frightened, 
and  had  got  crazy  ;  his  warning  was  nonsense  to 
them  ;  "  he  seemed  as  one  that  mocked." 

"  And  when  the  morning  arose,  then  the  angels  has- 
tened Lot,  saying.  Arise,  and  take  thy  wife  and  thy  two 
daughters  which  are  here,  lest  thou  be  consumed  in  the 
iniquity  of  the  city.  And  while  he  lingered,  the  men 
laid  hold  upon  his  hand,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his 
wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his  two  daughters,  the 
Lord  being  merciful  unto  him  ;  and  they  brought  him 
forth  and  set  him  without  the  city.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  when  they  had  brought  them  forth  abroad,  that 
he  said,  Escape  for  thy  life  ;  look  not  beliind  thee 
neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  plain ;  escape  to  the 
mountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed.  And  Lot  said  unto 
them,  0  not  so,  my  Lord  I    Behold,  now,  thy  servant 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


205 


hatli  fo^nd  grace  in  thy  sight,  and  thou  hast  magni- 
fied thy  mercy,  which  thou  hast  shown  unto  me  in 
saving  my  life  ;  and  I  cannot  escape  to  the  mountain, 
lest  some  evil  take  me  and  I  die ;  behold,  now,  this 
city  is  near  to  flee  unto,  and  it  is  a  little  one.  Oh, 
let  me  escape  thither !  (is  it  not  a  little  one  ?)  and 
my  soul  shall  live.^' 

The  Lord  was  now  there  in  person,  and  Lot's 
prayer  was  addressed  to  him  ;  and  the  Lord  answered, 
and  said,  "  See,  I  have  accepted  thee  concerning 
this  thing  also,  that  I  will  not  overthrow  this  city, 
for  the  which  thou  hast  spoken.'^  One  of  the  cities 
of  the  plain  is  saved  purely  for  Lot's  sake.  "  Haste 
thee,  escape  thither  ;  for  I  cannot  do  anything  till 
thou  be  come  thither  ;  therefore  the  name  of  the  city 
was  called  Zoar.  The  sun  was  risen  upon  the  earth 
when  Lot  entered  into  Zoar.  Then  the  Lord  rained 
upon  Sodom  and  upon  Gomorrah  brimstone  and  fire 
from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven  ;  and  he  overthrew  those 
cities,  and  all  the  plain,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
cities,  and  that  which  grew  upon  the  ground.'' 

But  there  is  a  day  coming,  compared  by  our  Saviour 
to  the  overthrow  of  Sodom,  when  angels  shall  take 
away  the  righteous,  and  none  shall  be  saved  on  the 
account  of  friends.  "  And  he  shall  send  his  ans-els 
with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall 
gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from 
one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  There  ministration 
will  not  be  accomplished  for  the  heirs  of  salvation, 
till  God's  chosen  are  all  gathered  in  the  great  harvest 


206 


THE  saints'  JNHERITANCE. 


of  the  world.  Then  shall  two  be  ia  the  field  :  the 
one  shall  be  taken,  the  other  left." 

The  power  and  wisdom  of  these  holy  beings,  their 
ability  to  take  the  supervision  of  this  world  to  be  the 
guardians  of  men,  is  apparent  in  those  services  they 
have  performed,  which  men  have  been  permitted  to 
witness. 

One  of  them  whose  work  was  higher  than  that  of 
Moses  and  Aaron,  is  commissioned  to  take  the  lead 
of  the  thousands  of  Israel  from  Egypt  through  the 
wilderness  to  the  land  of  Canaan. 

"  Behold,  I  send  an  angel  before  thee,  to  keep  thee 
in  the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  into  the  place  which  I 
have  prepared.  Beware  of  him  and  obey  his  voice, 
provoke  him  not ;  for  he  will  not  pardon  your  trans- 
gressions :  for  my  name  is  in  him.''  Thus  the  chil* 
dren  of  Israel  acknowledge,  "  And  when  we  cried 
unto  the  Lord  he  heard  our  voice  and  sent  an  angel, 
and  hath  brought  us  forth  out  of  Egypt." 

When  Pharaoh  and  his  host  of  warriors  pursued 
Israel  and  overtook  them  by  the  sea,  though  God 
opened  a  way  for  them  through  the  sea,  still  they 
need  the  angel's  tender  care,  for  among  his  people 
are  the  aged  and  the  young,  their  wives  and  their 
little  ones,  and  the  Egyptians  might  rush  on  them  in 
dreadful  slaughter  before  the  many  families  of  Israel 
could  pass  through. 

"And  the  angel  of  God  which  went  before  the 
camp  of  Israel,  removed,  and  went  behind  them  ;  and 
the  pillar  of  the  cloud  went  from  before  their  face, 
and  stood  behind  them :  and  it  came  between  the 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


207 


camp  of  the  Egyptians  and  the  camp  of  Israel ;  and 
it  was  a  cloud  and  darkness  to  them,  but  it  gave  light 
by  night  to  these  :  so  that  the  one  came  not  near  the 
other  all  night." 

As  the  angel  smote  the  Sodomites  with  blindness 
so  that  they  wearied  themselves  to  find  the  door,  now 
he  covers  the  Egyptians  with  thick  darkness,  but 
sheds  a  halo  of  light  among  the  people  of  his  care. 
Thus  this  holy  guardian  filled  his  sacred  trust, 
resisting  those  haughty,  proud  oppressor^  while  he 
exercised  a  mother^s  tenderness  over  the  afflicted  and 
oppressed.  As  one  of  their  prophets  afterwards  said, 
In  all  their  afflictions  he  was  afflicted,  and  the  angel 
of  his  presence  saved  them :  in  his  love  and  in  his 
pity  he  redeemed  them  ;  and  he  bare  them  and  car- 
ried them  all  the  days  of  old." 

In  the  days  of  Hezekiah,  when  the  Assyrians  had 
invaded  the  land  of  Israel^  and  besieged  Jerusalem 
with  a  great  army,  so  that  the  people  of  Jerusalem 
trembled  while  the  enemy  boasted  of  their  conquests, 
and  reproached  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven. 
But  good  Hezekiah  made  intercession  to  God,  and  his 
prayer  is  heard,  and  God  commissions  an  angel  to 
defend  Jerusalem. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  night,  that  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  went  out,  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the 
Assyrians  an  hundred  fourscore  and  five  thousand." 
Thus  we  see  that  these  guardians  whom  God  has  com- 
missioned to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  have 
strength  and  power  equal  to  their  charge. 

Also,  the  glory  of  their  appearance  equals  theii 


208 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


power  and  wisdom  ;  and  whether  he  slew  those  Dold 
blasphemers  by  the  strength  of  his  arm,  or  by  the 
glory  of  his  presence  revealed  before  them,  or  by  his 
power  over  the  elements,  separating  the  component 
parts  of  the  air,  causing  instant  death  to  the  multf- 
tude,  we  are  not  informed  ;  but  from  what  they  have 
done  it  is  evident  he  had  power  by  either  to  accom- 
plish his  work. 

That  they  have  power  to  use  the  elements  to  serve 
their  purpose  is  evident  from  the  act  of  the  angel  who 
manifested  himself  to  Manoah  and  his  wife,  the 
parents  of  Samson.  They  being  pleased  with  his 
promise,  offer  an  offering  of  thanksgiving,  still  sup- 
posing him  only  to  be  a  man  of  God.  So  Manoah 
took  a  kid,  with  a  meat-offering,  and  offered  it  upon 
a  rock  unto  the  Lord ;  and  the  angel  did  wonder- 
ously,  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on." 

Now  he  would  more  fully  impress  them  with  the 
importance  of  his  mission  and  the  necessity  of  keeping 
his  sayings :  For  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  flame 
went  up  towards  heaven  from  off  the  altar,  that  the 
angel  of  the  lord  ascended  in  the  flame  of  the  altar, 
and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on  it,  and  fell  on 
their  faces  to  the  ground." 

A  very  singular  power  was  manifested  by  that  angel 
who  appeared  to  the  Roman  soldiers,  and  to  those 
women  before  the  sepulchre  at  the  resurrection  of 
Christ.  While  the  glory  of  his  presence  strikes  the 
soldiers  with  terror,  and  they  fall  as  dead  men  before 
him,  he  appears  to  those  humble  women,  whose  love 
of  Christ  had  brought  them  early  to  the  sepulchre, 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


209 


as  a  gentle  friend,  saying,  "  Fear  not  ye  ;  for  I  know 
that  ye  seek  Jesus,  which  was  crucified.  He  is  not 
here :  for  he  is  risen,  as  he  said.  Come,  see  the 
place  where  the  Lord  lay.''  Having  rolled  back  the 
•  stone  placed  to  secure  the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  he 
gently  seats  himself  on  it,  and  invites  them  kindly  to 
come  and  see  the  vacated  tomb,  that  they  might  bo 
confirmed  that  the  Lord  had  risen.  After  they  had 
looked  into  the  sepulchre,  he  tells  them  to  do  the 
very  thing,  no  doubt,  that  they  were  anxious  to  do  : 
"  Go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen 
from  the  dead,  and  behold,  he  goeth  before  you  into 
Galilee  ;  there  shall  ye  see  him  :  lo  !  I  have  told 
you.''  But  to  the  soldiers,  "  His  countenance  was  like  ^ 
lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow.  And  for 
fear  of  him,  the  keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as 
dead  men." 

So  we  see  that  when  the  angel  would  hinder 
Pharaoh  and  his  fellow-oppressors,  he  covers  them 
with  thick  darkness,  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  for 
destruction  ;  but  again,  when  he  would  awe  that 
corrupt  band  of  soldiers,  who  could  be  so  easily 
bribed  by  a  still  more  corrupt  priesthood,  to  lie 
concerning  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  his  counte- 
nance is  as  terrible  as  the  lightning. 

"  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  his  angels,  that  excel  in 
strength,  that  do  his  commandments^  hearkening  unto 
the  voice  of  his  word.  Bless  ye  the  Lord,  all  ye 
his  hosts  ;  ye  ministers  of  his  that  do  his  pleasure." 

Though  they  are  thus  highly  exalted  in  strength 
and  power,  and  in  wisdom  and  glory,  yet  they  are 


210 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


meek  and  humble  ;  careful  to  do  nothing  without 
the  command  of  their  God,  manifesting  all  humility. 
But  puny  men,  as  Jude  says,  "  despise  dominion,  and 
speak  evil  of  dignities  ;  yet  Michael  the  archangel, 
when  contending  with  the  devil,  he  disputed  about 
the  body  of  Moses,  durst  not  bring  against  him  a 
railing  accusation,  but  said.  The  Lord  rebuke  thee." 

Like  their  Lord,  while  in  the  flesh,  who  delighted 
to  frequent  that  humble  family  of  orphans,  Mary, 
Martha,  and  Lazarus,  so  they  have  generally  been 
permitted  to  honor  the  most  humble  abodes  of  men 
with  a  manifestation  of  their  presence. 

Hagar,  the  bond-woman,  is  cast  out  with  her  child  ; 
she  wanders  in  a  dry  and  barren  wilderness  till  she 
and  her  child  are  ready  to  perish  with  thirst.  Dis- 
tracted with  the  cries  and  agonies  of  her  child,  and 
with  parching  thirst,  she  lays  him  under  a  bush  to  die. 
"  And  she  went,  and  sat  her  down  over  against  him, 
a  good  way  off,  as  it  were,  a  bowshot ;  for  she  said. 
Let  me  not  see  the  death  of  the  child."  With  no 
power  to  relieve  his  dying  thirst,  "  she  sat  over 
against  him  and  lifted  up  her  voice  and  wept." 

God  saw  her,  and  had  compassion  on  her,  and  he 
"  heard  the  voice  of  the  lad  :  and  the  angel  of  God 
called  to  Hagar  out  of  heaven,  and  said  unto  her  : 
What  aileth  thee,  Hagar  ?  Fear  not,  for  God  hath 
heard  the  voice  of  the  lad  where  he  is.  Arise,  lift 
up  the  lad  and  hold  him  in  thine  hand  ;  for  I  will 
make  him  a  great  nation.  And  God  opened  her 
eyes,  and  she  saw  a  well  of  water."  She  was  a  poor 
outcast  bond-woman,  with  her  child,  in  the  wilder- 


MINISTRY  OP  ANGELS. 


211 


ness  ;  they  were  crying  in  distress. ,  God  hears  the 
voice  of  Ishmael,  and  sees  Hagar^s  tears  :  and  the 
attention  of  those  high  and  holy  beings  who  dwell 
in  his  presence  was  arrested,  and  being  ready  to 
obey  his  voice,  quickly  one  descends  and  gently  calla 
her  name,  soothes  her  aching  heart,  supplies  her 
present  need,  and  assures  her  of  the  future  special 
care  of  her  God. 

The  rapidity  of  their  flight  is  beyond  our  imagi 
nation  to  comprehend. 

Peter  is  cast  into  prison  ;  the  Church  assembles, 
and  prayer  is  made  without  ceasing  for  him  ;  God  in 
heaven  hears  and  answers  ;  a  swift  messenger  is  sent ; 
he  quickly  descends  from  before  the  glorious  presence 
of  his  God  into  the  loathsome  prison,  and  a  light 
shines  in  the  dark  cell ;  the  chains  fall  from  Peter 
before  his  wondrous  touch,  and  he  says  to  him,  "  Arise 
up  quickly,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals,  and  cast  thy 
garments  about  thee,  and  follow  me."  The  iron 
gate  opens  before  his  mysterious  hand,  seemingly 
of  its  own  accord.  Peter,  being  set  free,  directs  his 
steps  to  the  house  of  prayer,  perhaps  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  same  ministering  spirit,  but  now  unseen. 
The  meeting  has  not  closed  ;  they  are  still  at  prayer. 
Thus  speedily  they  do  the  will  of  God  ;  they  tarry 
not  on  an  errand  of  mercy  to  the  heirs  of  salvation. 

Daniel,  a  captive,  a  slave,  nevertheless  a  prophet 
of  God,  is  at  prayer  ;  he  had  been  studying  the  pro- 
phecies of  Jeremiah  concerning  the  time  of  the  de- 
liverance of  his  people  from  captivity.  But  he  mis- 
understands the  prophecy,  and  supposes  the  time  ful- 


212 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


filled  ;  he  humbles  himself  before  God  with  fasting 
and  prayer,  with  repentance  and  deep  humility  ;  he 
confesses  and  bewails  his  sins,  and  the  sins  of  hia 
people,  Israel. 

He  says,  Dan.  ix.  2,  3,  "  I,  Daniel,  understood  by 
books  the  number  of  the  years  whereof  the  word  of 
the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  that  he  would 
accomplish  seventy  years  in  the  desolation  of  Jerusa- 
lem. And  I  set  my  face  unto  the  Lord  God,  to  seek 
by  prayer  and  supplications,  with  fasting,  and  sack- 
cloth, and  ashes.  And  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  my 
God,  and  made  my  confession,  and  said,  0  Lord,  the 
great  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the  covenant  and 
mercy  to  them  that  love  him,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments ;  we  have  sinned.^' 

He  goes  on  enumerating  the  crimes  of  his  people, 
and  humbly  confessing  that  they  had  merited  all  the 
evil  the  Lord  had  brought  on  them.  And  in  the  16th 
verse  he  begins  to  pray  especially  for  the  restoration 
of  his  people,  which  he  supposes  God  was  about  to 
accomplish,  saying,  "  0  Lord,  according  to  all  thy 
righteousness,  I  beseech  thee,  let  thine  anger  and  thy 
fury  be  turned  away  from  thy  city,  Jerusalem,  thy 
holy  mountain  :  because  for  our  sins  and  for  the  ini- 
quities of  our  fathers,  Jerusalem  and  thy  people  are 
become  a  reproach  to  all  that  are  about  us." 

Daniel  had  been  searching  for  the  termination  of 
the  time  of  the  seventy  years'  captivity  of  the  Jews, 
foretold  by  Jeremiah  ;  but  he  was  laboring  under  a 
mistake ;  the  time  was  not  quite  fulfilled.    He  was 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


213 


applying  even  a  vision  which  God  had  given  him,  in 
the  previous  chapter,  to  the  restoring  of  his  people. 

And  he  says,  21st  verse,  "  Yea,  while  I  was  speak- 
ing in  prayer,  even  the  man  Gabriel,  whom  I  had 
seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being  caused  to 
fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening 
oblation.  And  he  informed  me,  and  talked  with  me, 
and  said,  0  Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee 
skill  and  understanding.  At  the  beginning  of  thy 
supplications  the  commandment  came  forth  and  I  am 
come  to  show  thee  ;  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved  : 
therefore  understand  the  matter  and  consider  the 
vision." 

The  angel  who,  standing  in  the  presence  of  God  in 
heaven,  says  he  received  the  command  to  come  and 
instruct  Daniel  at  the  commencement  of  his  supplica- 
tion, and  being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  he  arrives  before 
Daniel  concluded  his  prayer.  Thus  we  see  how 
rapid  is  their  power  of  flight.  But  he  does  not 
reprove  Daniel  for  searching  the  time,  or  reproach 
him  for  his  mistake,  but  says,  "  Thou  art  greatly 
beloved,  and  I  have  come  to  give  thee  skill  and 
understanding." 

The  number  of  these  wise  and  holy  beings,  who 
thus  excel  in  wisdom,  strength,  and  flight,  who  wait 
before  the  Lord  to  do  his  pleasure,  is  worthy  our 
consideration. 

When  Peter  would  defend  his  master,  Jesus  says, 
"  Put  ui)  again  thy  sword  into  his  place  :  for  all  they 
that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 
Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  now  pray  to  my  Father^ 


214 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


and  he  shall  presently  give  me  more  than  .twelve 
legions  of  angels 

At  the  sitting  of  the  Ancient  of  days  as  seen  by 
Daniel,  "thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him, 
and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before 
him/'  And  the  Revelator  says,  "  I  heard  the  voice 
of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the 
beasts  and  the  elders  :  and  the  number  of  them  was 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of 
thousands." 

These  high  and  holy  beings  so  far  excel  all  our 
ideas  of  greatness,  beauty,  and  glory,  that  John,  who 
had  even  seen  his  Lord  glorified,  and  was  so  over- 
come with  his  glory  that  he  fell  at  his  feet  as  a  dead 
man,  yet  he  mistakes  the 'angel  who  ministered  to 
him  on  the  isle  of  Patmos,  for  the  Lord  himself,  and 
bows  down  at  his  feet  to  worship  him.  But  the 
angel  forbad  him  at  once,  saying,  "  See  thou  do  it 
not :  for  I  am  thy  fellow-sdrvant,  and  of  thy  brethren 
the  prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the  sayings  of 
this  book  :  worship  God." 

These  are  the  beings  who  minister  to  the  heirs  of 
salvation  ;  constantly  attending  God's  people.  "  The 
angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that 
fear  him,  and  dclivcrcth  them." 

When  Daniel  is  cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  one 
enters  before  him,  unseen  by  his  proud  persecutors, 
and  shuts  the  mouths  of  those  terrible  beasts,  fitted 
by  hunger  to  devour  their  victims  ;  and  that  beloved 
child  of  God  lacks  not  the  presence  of  a  glorious  and 
powerful  friend  during  the  night ;  even  in  the  lions' 


MINISTRY  OF  ANGELS. 


215 


den.  And  when  the  king,  who  had  been  lamenting 
all  ni2:ht  DanieFs  fate,  and  his  own  folly  and  pride 
which  had  suffered  DaniePs  persecutors  to  prevail  on 
him  to  pass  so  foolish  a  decree,  came  in  the  morning 
to  the  den,  and  calfed  to  Daniel  with  "a  lamentable 
voice,  saying,  0  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God,  is 
thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually,  able  to 
deliver  thee  from  the  lions  ?  Then  said  Daniel  unto 
the  king,  0  king,  live  for  ever.  My  God  hath  sent 
his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lions'  mouths,  that  they 
have  not  hurt  me:  forasmuch  as  before  him  inno- 
cency  was  found  in  me  ;  and  also  before  thee,  0  king, 
have  I  done  no  hurt.'' 

Often  are  men  strangely  and  wonderfully  preserved 
in  the  midst  of  the  most  imminent  danger  ;  and  happy 
for  them  if,  as  Daniel,  they  ascribe  it  to  God,  through 
the  guardians  of  his  people.  Thus  our  benefactors 
are  constantly  aiding  us  in  this  world,  and  we  see 
them  not. 

When  the  enemies  of  Israel  turned  their  bitter  ani- 
mosity against  Elisha  the  servant  of  God,  and  a  large 
Syrian  army  had  overtaken  him  at  night,  Elisha's 
friend  who  was  with  him,  on  rising  in  the  morning, 
discovered  that  they  were  surrounded  by  the  enemy  ; 
he  hastened  in  alarm  to  inform  Elisha,  saying,  "Alas, 
my  master !  liow  shall  we  do  ?  And  he  answered, 
Fear  not,  for  they  that  be  with  us  are  more  than  they 
that  be  with  them.  And  Elisha  prayed,  and  said, 
Lord,  I  pray  thee,  open  the  eyes  of  the  young  man ; 
and  he  saw,  and  behold,  the  mountain  was  full  of 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha.'^ 


1 


216 


THE  saints'  INHERITANCEf. 


Then  Elisha  asks  that  the  enemy  might  all  be  made 
blind,  and  suddenly  they  are  smote  with  blindness. 
And  now  he  leads  them  into  the  midst  of  Samaria, 
where  they  were  surrounded  by  their  enemies.  But 
Elisha  forbids  the  king  of  Israel-  to  smite  them,  and 
prays  God  to  open  their  eyes,  and  he  had  a  feast 
made  for  them,  and  then  sent  them  home  to  their  own 
country,  which  ended  the  war.  Thus  these  guardians 
deliver  his  people,  when  it  will  work  for  their  good 
and  the  glory  of  God. 

Thomas  Dick  thinks  that  a  part  of  the  enjoyment 
of  the  saints  in  the  world  to  come  will  be  the  study 
of  their  history,  and  the  history  of  the  angels.  If  so, 
how  interesting  will  it  be  to  learn  who  our  kind 
guardians  were,  and  what  tender  care  they  took  of 
us  during  those  days  of  our  infancy,  while  passing 
through  this  vale  of  tears. 

Our  present  knowledge  of  our  heavenly  Father's 
kind  care  and  good  will  towards  us,  is  more  limited 
than  the  infant's  of  its  parent's  good  will  and  tender- 
ness. Said  Jesus  to  his  disciples,  "  I  have  yet  many 
things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  hear  them 
now." 

In  this  world  we  know  in  part ;  "  for  now  we  see 
through  a  glass,  darkly  ;  but  then,  face  to  face." 
Then  we  shall  become  their  fellows,  "  For  unto  the 
angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to  come, 
whereof  we  speak."  Those  who  are  accounted  ^ 
worthy  to  attain  unto  that  age  and  the  resurrection, 
are  equal  unto  the  angels ;  and  are  the  children  of 
God,  being    the  children  of  the  resurrection." 


MINISTRY  OP  ANGELS. 


217 


In  the  world  to  come,  in  the  glorious  restitution, 
when  we  are  quickened  or  made  alive  by  the  life-giv- 
ing power  of  the  second  Adam,  we  shall  not  need  one 
to  pray  that  our  eyes  may  be  opened  ;  for  then  we  shall 
see  as  we  are  seen.  Said  Jesus  to  Nathaniel,  "be- 
cause I  said  unto  thee,  I  saw  thee  under  the  fig-tree 
believest  thou  ?  Thou  shalt  see  greater  things  than 
these.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  hereafter  ye 
shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascend- 
ing and  descending  upon  the  Son  of  man." 

This  promise  of  Christ  to  Nathaniel  is  yet  to  be 
fulfilled,  and  in  the  world  to  come  there  will  not 
only  be  a  communication  between  heaven  and  earth 
opened,  but  our  eyes  shall  no  longer  be  withheld  ;  we 
shall  see  the  promise  to  Nathaniel  fulfilled,  "  the 
angels  of  God  ascend  and  descend  upon  the  Son  of 
man."  So  also  may  the  redeemed  ascend  and 
descend,  for  they  shall  be  equal  to  the  angels.  Even 
all  that  Thomas  Dick  anticipates  in  his  excellent 
work,  the  "Philosophy  of  the  Future  State,"  may 
be  realized,  and  much  more,  during  the  annals  of 
eternity. 

For  if  man  in  this  state  is  in  his  infancy,  what 
shall  he  become  when  the  degenerating  influence  of  sin 
is  removed,  and  the  weaknesses  of  infancy  are  passed  ? 
Every  additional  truth  enlarges  the  mind,  rendering 
it  more  capable  of  clasping  the  next,  and  being  per- 
mitted to  explore  the  universe  and  learn  the  wonders 
of  its  mysteries,  the  mind  shall  continue  to  expand, 
and  his  ideas  of  the  Creator  be  still  more  exalted,  and 
his  worship  more  sublime.    Surely  the  love  and  care 

10 


218 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


our  heavenly  Father  has  manifested  for  us,  speaks 
the  greatness  of  our  future  destiny. 

And  if  these  high  and  holy  beings  manifested  suet 
deep  interest  and  joy  in  our  welfare  on  the  occasion 
of  the  birth  of  Christ  being  announced  to  the  shep- 
herds by  one  of  them,  so  that  "  suddenly  there  was 
with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  prais- 
ing God,  saying,  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and 
on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men,''  what  shall 
be  their  song  of  praise  when  Christ  shall  have  re- 
deemed his  chosen  from  the  grave,  and  from  all  the 
effects  of  sin,  and  shall  have  beautified  them  with 
salvation,  and  restored  them  to  their  dominion, 
turned  as  the  garden  of  God  ?  Or  in  short,  what 
shall  be  their  joy  and  song  of  praise,  when  the  object 
of  his  coming  into  this  world,  of  his  suffering  and 
death,  shall  be  accomplished  ? 

Will  not  all  the  sons  of  God  shout  again  for  joy 
as  when  the  morning  stars  sang  together  ? 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 


HO  COVENANTS  OR  PROMISES  TO  JEWS  MORE  THAN  TO 
GENTILES. 

"  Wherefore  henceforth  know  we  no  man  after  the  flesh :  yea, 
though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the  flesh ;  yet  now  henceforth 
know  we  him  no  more." — 2  Cor.  v.  16. 

In  connexion  with  the  temporal  millennium  it  is 
also  taught  that  the  Jews  after  the  flesh  are  to  be 
restored  to  the  land  of  their  fathers  ;  that  old  "  Jeru- 
salem, which  is  in  bondage  with  her  children,"  is  to 
be  rebuilt ;  that  the  Jews,  as  Jews,  are  yet  to  become 
a  very  conspicuous  and  honorable  people,  and  certain 
great  and  precious  promises  of  God's  word  are  taken 
from  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  the  household  of 
faith,  and  are  applied  especially  to  the  Jews.  To 
th-at  infidel,  stiff-necked,  rebellious  race,  whose  fathers 
rejected  the  Messiah,  clamoring  for  his  life,  saying, 
"  let  his  blood  be  on  us  and  our  children,"  whose  sons 
still  declare  that  Christ  was  an  impostor,  and  they 
hate  him  with  a  deadly  hate,  and  would  be  glad  to 
blot  out  his  gospel  from  under  heaven. 

This  doctrine  has  crept  into  the  Christian  church 
in  connexion  with  the  doctrine  of  a  coming  day  of 
peace  for  the  church  in  this  world.  It  is  old  Juda- 
ism  revived,  claiming  that  the  promise  of  the  inheri- 
tance is  still  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  flesh,  the  same  error 
which  doomed  their  fathers  to  perdition  in  the  days 


220 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


of  the  Saviour.  It  looks  back  beyond  Christ  to  pro- 
mises given  the  fathers,  exalting  itself  above  the 
cross,  creating  an  aristocracy  in  religion,  claiming 
special  favor  to  certain  men  after  the  flesh,  to  Jews, 
though  they  be  ever  so  infidel. 

But  in  the  text  before  us,  Paul,  himself  a  Jew,  under 
the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  thoroughly  renounces  this 
Judaism ;  for  ever  cutting  off  special  promises  or 
favor  to  any  man,  or  class  of  men  after  the  flesh. 
"  Wherefore  henceforth  know  we  no  man  after  the 
flesh :  yea,  though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the 
flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know  we  him  no  more." 

The  apostle  comes  to  this  sweeping  conclusion 
against  Judaism  from  a  very  important  fact  which  he 
had  just  stated  in  a  preceding  verse ;  "  Because  we 
thus  judge,  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  f 
that  is,  Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles  ;  "  for  God  hath 
concluded  them  all  in  unbelief. And  if  Jews  as  well 
as  Gentiles  are  alike  dead  in  trespasses  and  sin  with- 
out Christ,  they  all  alike  stand  in  need  of  the  atoning 
blood  of  Christ  to  make  them  alive  ;  there  are  there- 
fore no  covenants,  promises,  blessings,  or  privileges 
to  the  Jews  more  than  to  Gentiles  under  the  gospel 
dispensation. 

Before  the  coming  of  Christ  there  were  certain 
promises  to  the  Jews,  the  descendants  of  Abraham 
after  the  flesh ;  many  advantages,  says  an  apostle, 
*'  chiefly  because  unto  them  were  committed  the  ora- 
cles of  God."  Also  Christ  was  to  be  a  Jew  according 
to  the  flesh.  He  himself  said  to  the  Samaritan 
woman,  "  salvation  is  of  the  Jews." 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


221 


But  all  the  special  promises  to  them  as  Jews  were 
fulfilled  with  the  promised  seed,  and  they  terminated 
in  Christ,  who  "abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity, 
even  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in  ordi- 
nances :  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  (Jews  and 
Gentiles)  one  new  man,  so  making  peace.  And  that 
he  might  reconcile  both  (Jews  and  Gentiles)  unto 
God  in  one  body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the 
enmity  thereby." — Ephes.  ii.  15,  16. 

Thus  we  see  that  one  common  and  only  door  of 
salvation  is  opened  alike  to  all  classes  without  any 
distinction  according  to  the  flesh ;  that  strangers, 
aliens,  and  foreigners  are  introduced  into  the  com- 
monwealth of  Israel,  and  made  ^^fellow-citizens  with 
the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God."  Whoever 
therefore  would  preach  the  free,  the  pure  uncontami- 
nated  gospel  of  Christ,  as  did  the  apostle,  will  hold 
out  no  Judaism  mixed  up  with  the  gospel,  no  special 
promises  to  one  class  of  aianers  more  than  to 
another  ;  he  will  make  no  distinction  after  the  flesh. 

Such  an  impartial  free  gospel  to  all  classes  was 
exceedingly  obnoxious  to  the  proud  aristocratic  feel- 
ings of  the  Jews,  who  had  arrogated  to  themselves 
the  fulfilment  of  all  the  covenants  and  promises 
shadowed  forth  through  the  law  and  proclaimed  by 
the  prophets,  notwithstanding  the  prophets  had  fore- 
told a  free  gospel  to  the  whole  world  ;  saying,  "  Ho, 
every  one  that  tliirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and 
he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye." 

True,  the  law  of  Moses  gave  the  Jews  a  decided 
preference  over  even  a  Gentile  convert,  but  it  was 


4 


222 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


designed  only  to  shadow  forth  the  blessings  of  the 
true  believer  under  the  gospel  dispensation ;  of 
whom  Christ  said,  "  unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom,  but  unto  those  that  are 
without,  these  things  are  done  in  parables." 

John  the  Baptist,  one  of  the  purest  of  God^s  minis- 
tering servants,  who  had  not  been  educated  under 
the  corrupting  traditions  of  the  Doctors  and  Rabbis, 
but  had  by  himself  drawn  from  the  pure  teachings 
of  the  law  and  prophets,  through  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  uncontaminated  truth,  raised  his  voice 
against  this  arrogating,  selfish,  hereditary  teaching, 
as  soon  as  he  began  to  preach.  When  he  saw  these 
Judaizers,  who  claimed  promises  after  the  flesh, 
coming  to  his  baptism,  instead  of  calling  them 
"  God's  ancient  covenant  people,"  he  said  unto  them, 
"  0  generation  of  vipers,  who  hath  warned  you  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  Bring  forth  therefore 
fruits  meet  for  repentance ;  and  think  not  to  say 
within  yourselves,  we  have  Abraham  to  our  father : 
for  I  say  unto  you  that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to 
raise  up  children  unto  Abraham,"  Matt.  iii.  7-9. 
John  would  teach  them  that  God  would,  sooner  than 
ghow  favor  to  them  on  account  of  their  descent,  raise 
up  the  stones  of  the  field  to  become  the  children  of 
Abraham.  But  in  modern  times,  gospel  ministers 
teach  that  the  descendants  of  those  "  vipers^^^  of  whom 
John  spake,  are  "  God^s  ancient  covenant  people^  Israel,* 
and  that  God  has  special  promises  for  them  on 
account  of  their  descent. 

John  further  said  to  them,  "  now  also  the  axe  if 


1 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


223 


laid  at  the  root  of  the  trees  :  therefore  every  tree 
which  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down, 
and  cast  into  the  fire."  Those  Judaizing  trees, 
nourished  in  the  schools  of  the  doctors,  withered 
before  John^s  sharp  axe  of  truth.  And  when  Christ 
began  to  preach  he  cut  Judaism  in  pieces.  John  viii. 
30-44.  "  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews  which 
believed  on  him,  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are 
ye  my  disciples  indeed  ;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free.''  Christ  per- 
ceived that  there  was  Judaism  hanging  about  these 
professed  converts,  and  unless  it  was  cut  away  they 
could  never  be  the  free  sons  of  the  gospel.  "  They 
answered  him,  we  be  Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never 
in  bondage  to  any  man :  how  sayest  thou,  ye  shall  be 
made  free  ?" 

They  looked  back  to  promises  and  blessings 
through  Abraham,  therefore  they  could  not  take 
Christ  as  their  only  Saviour. 

"  Jesus  answered  them,  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin, 
and  the  servant  abideth  not  in  the  house  for  ever, 
but  the  Son  abideth  ever.  If  the  Son  therefore  shall 
make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed.  I  know  that 
ye  are  Abraham's  seed  ;  but  ye  seek  to  kill  me, 
because  my  word  hath  no  place  in  you.  I  speak 
that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father  :  and  ye  do 
that  which  ye  have  seen  with  your  father.'' 

Christ  was  addressing  "  those  Jews  who  believed 
on  him."  And  if  converts  under  his  preaching  were 
not  considered  genuine,  because  they  held  to  covo- 


224 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


nants  and  promises  through  Abraham,  all  hope  of 
which  he  sought  to  cut  off,  how  can  he  accept  of 
modern  converts  among  the  Jews  who  are  taught  to 
believe  in  covenants  and  promises  through  Abraham  ? 
No  wonder  so  few  Jews  are  converted  under  such 
preaching.  It  flatters  the  pride  of  their  hearts,  and 
says  that,  according  to  Christian  teachers^  aliens  and 
strangers  are  not  to  be  made  exactly  fellow-citizens 
with  them. 

Again,  "  They  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Abra- 
ham is  our  father.  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  If  ye  were 
Abraham's  children  ye  would  do  the  works  of  Abra- 
ham.^' 

Thus  our  Lord  rejected  the  natural  descendants  of 
Abraham  from  being  the  children  of  Abraham  on  the 
account  of  their  descent,  and  made  the  doing  the 
works  of  Abraham  the  condition  of  being  his  chil- 
dren. But  the  unbelieving  infidel  Jews,  who  hate 
Jesus  Christ,  and  abhor  his  gospel,  we  are  taught  in 
these  modern  times  to  believe  are  "  God's  ancient  co- 
venant people,  Israel  f  but  when  they  claimed  Abra- 
ham to  be  their  father,  Christ  replied  to  them,  "  Ye 
are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your 
father  ye  will  do." 

How  offensive  must  it  be  in  the  sight  of  Him,  who 
while  on  earth  thus  cut  off  every  vestige  of  hope 
to  the  Jews  through  Abraham  or  the  fathers,  and 
would  have  them  look  to  no  other  hope  but  to  Him, 
the  Son,  to  be  made  free,  as  every  other  sinner  must 
look,  if  they  are  ever  made  free  indeed— how  oflfen- 
Bive  must  it  be  to  Him  now  to  see  his  professed  fol- 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


225 


lowers  claiming  and  teaching  that  there  are  some 
special  promises  to  them  as  the  natural  seed  of  Abra- 
ham not  held  out  to  other  sinners  ;  thus  assisting 
those  proud  haters  of  his  gospel  to  build  again  that 
"middle  wall  of  partition'^  which  he  h^s  broken 
down  upon  the  cross. 

This  Judaism  is  intimately  connected  with  the  tem- 
poral millennium,  to  sustain  which,  they  would  even 
build  again  that   middle  wall  of  partition"  between 
Jews  and  Gentiles  which  Christ  has  broken  down. 
Ezekiel  says,  xiii.  lf)-16  :  "  Because,  even  because 
they  have  seduced  my  people,  saying.  Peace,  and 
there  was  no  peace  ;  and  one  built  up  a  wall,  and  lo, 
others  daubed  it  with  untempered  mortar  ;  say  unto 
them  which  daub  it  with  untempered  mortar,  that  it 
shall  fall.    Lo,  when  the  wall  is  fallen,  shall  it  not 
be  said  unto  you,  Where  is  the  daubing  wherewith 
ye  have  daubed  it  ?    Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  :  I  will  even  rend  it  with  a  stormy  wind  in  my 
fury  ;  and  there  shall  be  an  overflowing  shower  in 
mine  anger,  and  great  hailstones  in  my  fury,  to  con- 
sume it.    So  will  I  break  down  the  wall  that  ye  have 
daubed  with  untempered  mortar,  and  bring  it  down 
to  the  ground,  so  that  the  foundations  thereof  shall 
be  discovered,  and  it  shall  fall,  and  ye  shall  be  con- 
sumed in  the  midst  thereof ;  and  ye  shall  know  that 
I  am  the  Lord.    Thus  will  I  accomplish  my  wrath 
upon  the  wall,  and  upon  them  that  have  daubed  it 
with  untempered  mortar,  and  will  say  unto  you,  the 
wall  is  no  more,  neither  they  that  daubed  it ;  to  wit, 
the  prophets  of  Israel  which  prophesy  concerning 
30^ 


226 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


Jerusalem,  and  which  see  visions  of  peace  for  her^ 
and  there  is  no  peace,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

That  these  sayings  of  the  prophet  were  in  a  prt 
mary  sense  to  be  applied  to  the  peace  teachers  of  hig 
day  is  no  doubt  true.  But  that  they  are  applicable 
to  the  gospel  or  last  days  is  equally  true.  First, 
from  the  fact  that  the  prophet  charges  these  teachers 
in  the  5th  verse  with  not  having  prepared  "  the  house 
of  Israel  to  stand  in  the  battle  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord  f  and  further,  from  its  appropriateness,  "  Vi- 
sions of  peace  for  her  (Jerusatem),  and  there  is  no 
peace  saith  the  Lord  God."  But  to  whatever  age 
the  prophet  alluded,  whoever  proclaims  visions  of 
peace  for  Jerusalem  contradicts  his  teaching.  "  There 
is  no  peace,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

God  has  also  declared  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah 
that  old  Jerusalem  shall  never  be  rebuilt.  Jer.  xix. 
The  prophet  is  told  to  "  go  and  get  a  potter's  earthen 
bottle,  and  take  of  the  ancients  of  the  people,  and 
the  ancients  of  the  priests;  and  go  forth  unto  the 
valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom,  which  is  by  the  entry 
of  the  east  gate,  and  proclaim  there  the  words  that  I 
shall  tell  thee.  And  say,  hear  ye  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  0  kings  of  Judah,  and  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of 
Israel ;  Behold,  I  will  bring  evil  upon  this  place,  the 
which  whoever  heareth,  his  ears  shall  tingle." 

After  enumerating  their  sins  he  proceeds,  "  And  I 
will  make  void  the  counsel  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem 
in  this  place ;  and  I  will  cause  them  to  fall  by  the 
Bword  before  their  enemies,  and  by  the  hands  of  them 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


227 


that  seek  tlieir  lives ;  and  their  carcases  will  I  give 
to  be  meat  for  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  and  for  the 
beasts  of  the  earth.  And  I  will  make  this  city  deso- 
late and  an  hissing ;  every  one  that  passeth  thereby 
shall  be  astonished  and  hiss  because  of  all  the  plagues 
thereof.  And  I  will  cause  them  to  eat  the  flesh  of 
their  sons  and  the  flesh  of  their  daughters,  and  they 
shall  eat  every  one  the  flesh  of  his  friend  in  the  siege 
and  straitness  wherewith  their  enemies,  and  they  that 
seek  their  lives,  shall  straiten  them."  This  terrible 
calamity  came  upon  them  fully,  when  the  Romans 
destroyed  Jerusalem,  about  forty  years  after  Christ'3 
time  on  earth.  Now  observe  the  following,  and  see 
if  Jerusalem  will  ever  be  rebuilt,  "  Then  shalt  thou 
break  the  bottle  in  the  sight  of  the  men  that  go  with 
thee.  And  shalt  say  unto  them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts :  Even  so  will  I  break  this  people  and  this 
city,  as  one  breaketh  a  potter^s  vessel  that  cannot  be 
made  whole  again.'' 

Jesus  repeats  the  same  prophecy  to  the  Jews  in  his 
day,  but  they  would  not  believe  him  any  more  than 
their  fathers  did  the  humble  prophet. 

"  And  when  ye  shall  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with 
armies,  then  know  that  the  desolation  thereof  is  nigh. 
Then  let  them  which  are  in  Judea  flee  to  the  moun- 
tains ;  and  let  them  which  are  in  the  midst  of  it 
depart  out ;  and  let  not  them  which  are  in  the  coun- 
tries enter  thereinto.  For  these  be  the  days  of  ven- 
geance, that  all  things  which  are  written  may  be  ful- 
filled For  there  shall  be  great  distress  in  the 

land,  and  wrath  upon  this  people.    And  they  shall 


228  THE  saints'  inheritance. 


fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall  be  led  away 
captiw  into  all  nations  :  and  Jerusalem  shall  be 
trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  be  fulfilled/'— Luke  xxi.  20-24. 

Here  Jesus  repeats  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  and 
declares  that  "  Jerusalem  should  be  trodden  down  of 
the  Gentiles  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fuL 
filled."  Therefore,  while  probation  continues,  Jeru- 
salem cannot  be  rebuilt. 

If  there  is  a  present  prospect  of  the  Jews  being 
restored  to  Jerusalem  through  Rothschild,  or  any 
other  source,  then  Gentiles  had  better  prepare  for 
judgment ;  for  Christ's  word  for  it,  that  before  it  can 
be  accomplished  Gentiles'  times  will  be  fulfilled. 
How  can  men  who  believe  this  plain  declaration  of 
Christ  still  teach  that  the  Jews,  after  they  are 
restored  to  Jerusalem,  will  take  part  in  spreading  the 
gospel  to  the  Gentiles  ?  What  can  the  gospel  do  for 
a  people  after  their  times  have  expired  ? 

Again,  Isaiah  says,  Ixv.  11-15,  that  God  has  cut 
off  the  Jews  as  such,  and  utterly  rejected  them  from 
being  his  people,  and  that  no  promises  remain  for 
them  but  such  as  are  for  other  sinners. 

But'ye  are  they  that  forsake  the  Lord,  that  forget 
my  holy  mountain,  that  prepare  a  table  for  that 
troop,  and  that  furnish  the  drink-offering  unto  that 
number.  Therefore  will  I  number  you  to  the  sword, 
and  ye  shall  bow  down  to  the  slaughter :  because 
when  I  called,  ye  did  not  answer  ;  when  I  spake  ye 
did  not  hear  ;  but  did  evil  before  mine  eyes,  and  did 
choose  that  wherein  I  delighted  not.  Therefore, 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


229 


thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  my  servants  shall 
eat,  but  ye  shall  be  hungry  ;  behold,  my  servants 
shall  drink,  but  ye  shall  be  thirsty  ;  behold,  my 
servants  shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed  ; 
behold,  my  servants  shall  sing  for  joy  of  heart,  but 
ye  shall  cry  for  sorrow  of  heart,  and  shall  howl  for 
vexation  of  spirit.  And  ye  shall  leave  your  name 
for  a  curse  unto  my  chosen  :  for  the  Lord  God  shall 
slay  thee,  and  call  his  servants  by  another  name.'' 

God  says  he  will  slay  them  and  call  his  servants 
by  another  name ;  "  The  disciples  were  first  called 
Christians  at  Antioch."  Not  only  does  God  utterly 
reject  them,  but  he  even  refuses  to  call  his  servants 
by  their  name  ;  and  says,  "  ye  shall  leave  your  name 
as  a  curse  unto  my  chosen." 

This  proud,  arrogating,  selfish  Judaism  destroyed 
the  Jewish  church,  and  will  it  prove  anything  but  a 
curso  to  those  who  embrace  and  revive  it  ?  To  pray 
for  the  Jews,  as  you  would  for  other  sinners,  and  to 
send  missionaries  among  them  who  would  hold  out  to 
them  such  promises  only  as  should  be  preached  to  all 
sinners,  would  be  a  good  work,  and  no  doubt  accept- 
able to  God.  But  to  teach  that  "  they  are  God's 
ancient  covenant  people,  the  Jews,"  and  to  pray  for 
them  as  such,  is  to  build  again  that  middle  wall  of 
partition"  which  Christ  has  broken  down  upon  the 
cross  ;  it  is  to  build  a  ladder  for  them  to  climb 
up  another  way"  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  and  must, 
as  God  has  said,  prove  a  curse  to  his  chosen.  Beware 
therefore,  how  you  build  again  this  "  wall,  and  daub 
it  with  untempered  mortar;"  lest  when  God  shall 


230 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


"bring  it  down  so  that  the  foundation  thereof  be 
discovered,  ye  be  consumed  in  the  midst  thereof/' 
as  God  has  said ;  and  so  their  name  prove  a  curse  to 
you,  who  claim  to  be  his  chosen. 

But  we  are  told  "that  God  has  kept  them  a 
separate  and  distinct  people,  that  he  may  restore 
them  some  future  day." 

We  reply,  that  there  have  been  as  many  of  them 
converted  to  Christianity  during  the  gospel  dispensa- 
tion as  of  the  Gentiles,  in  proportion  to  their  num- 
bers ;  and  when  they  have  thus  complied  with  God's 
righteous  requirements  in  believing  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  they  have  at  once  lost  their  distinctive 
nationality  ;  showing  clearly  that  if  they  would  obey 
God,  they  would  be  no  longer  a  distinct  people. 
The  argument  would  be  equally  as  good  in  favor  of 
Mohammedans. 

The  men  who  make  this  argument  would  think 
themselves  worthy  of  scorn,  if  they  should  undertake 
to  claim  that  God  had  in  reserve  some  special  favor 
for  the  Mohammedans,  because  they  have  been  kept  a 
separate  and  distinct  people  through  following  the 
teachings  of  the  false  prophet,  Mohammed  ;  yet  the 
argument  would  be  just  as  good.  The  fact  that  Jews 
when  converted  to  Christianity  at  once  amalgamate 
with  Christians,  and  they  twain  are  made  one  through 
the  cross  of  Christ,  is  full  evidence  that  their  infidelity 
has  kept  them  a  distinct  people.  They  had  rather  be 
distinct  and  serve  the  devil,  than  to  lose  their  nation- 
ality and  serve  Christ ;  as  Jesus  said  to  them  :  Ye 
are  of  your  father,  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


231 


father  ye  will  do."  Men  do  not  use  such  weak  argu- 
ments when  better  ones  can  be  found. 

But  it  is  said  "that  God  has  foretold  that  they 
would  be  a  separate  and  distinct  people."  Very 
well ;  is  that  an  evidence  that  he  approves  it  ?  He 
has  also  foretold  the  most  horrible  wicked  acts  of 
other  men.  Is  that  an  evidence  that  he  designs  to 
show  them  special  favors  ? 

The  word  of  God  is  harmonious,  therefore  no  other 
parts  can  contradict  these  plain  declarations  ;  and 
we  have  seen  that  God  is  very  jealous  for  his  glory, 
and  would  sooner  raise  up  the  stones  of  the  field  to 
become  his  children,  than  to  hold  out  covenants,  or 
promises,  or  hope  to  a  Jew,  or  to  any  other  class  of 
sinners,  in  any  other  way  than  by  coming  directly  to 
his  Son ;  and  therefore  whoever  thinks  before  God 
of  any  special  promises  for  a  Jew,  that  are  not  for  all 
sinners,  demeans  the  cross,  and  dishonors  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  seeking  to  restore  a  distinction 
which  Christ  has  put  away  by  the  shedding  of  his 
own  most  precious  blood. 

But  as  it  is  claimed  by  some  that  Paul  teaches  in 
the  11th  chapter  of  Romans,  that  the  Jews  according 
to  the  flesh  will  be  restored  to  old  Jerusalem,  we  will 
examine  what  the  Apostle  says  there  on  the  subject. 
The  chapter  commences  with  '  ■  I  say,  then,  hath  God 
cast  away  his  people  ?  God  forbid.  For  I  also  am 
an  Israelite,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin." 

Therefore  it  was  evident  that  notwithstanding  the 
Apostle  had  in  the  previous  chapter  shown  them  that 


2Se 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


tlie  J ews  under  the  Gospel  dispensation  were  reduced 
to  a  level  with  the  Gentiles,  that  now  to  be  a  Jew 
they  must  be  one  inwardly,  "  for  he  is  not  a  Jew  who 
is  one  outwardly,"  that  all  were  alike,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  ^'  God  having' 
concluded  them  all  in  unbelief  f  yet  they  were  not 
so  cast  off  that  there  was  no  salvation  for  them,  pro- 
viding they  would  give  up  all  other  hope,  and  come 
directly  to  Christ  as  Paul  had  ;  for  he  was  a  Jew, 
and  had  obtained  salvation.  Therefore  he  says, 
"  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  fore- 
knew. "Wot  ye  not  what  the  Scripture  saith  of  Elias  ? 
how  he  maketh  intercession  against  Israel,  saying, 
Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged 
down  thine  altars  ;  and  I  am  left  alone,  and  they 
seek  my  life.  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  unto 
him  ?  I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men  ^ 
who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal." 

The  apostle  adds,  "  Even  so  then  at  this  present 
time  also  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election 
of  grace."  Himself,  the  disciples,  and  many  other 
had  believed,  and  were  among  the  chosen,  so  that 
there  was  still  hope  for  those  who  would  embrace 
Christ. 

In  the  11th  verse  he  comes  more  especially  to  the 
subject  before  us,  and  says,  "  I  say  then,  have  they 
Btumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?  God  forbid  :  but 
rather  through  their  fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the 
Gentiles,  for  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy/' 

The  error  which  has  led  to  Judaism  undoubtedly 
has  in  a  great  measure  grown  out  of  the  misunder- 


■1 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


233 


standing  of  what  that  fall  of  the  Jews  was,  of  which 
the  Apostle  speaks  in  this  verse. 

A  certain  minister  while  pleading  before  a  Chris- 
tiaji  church  for  aid  to  send  the  Gospel  among  the 
Jews,  after  repeating  this  text,  said,  "  Gentile  Chris- 
tians ought  to  pay  liberally  to  sustain  the  Gospel  among 
the  Jews,  because  through  the  Jews  having  rejected 
Christ  the  Gospel  was  extended  to  the  Gentiles." 

This  conclusion  was  correct,  if  the  common  exposi- 
tion is  right ;  and  if  so,  we  should  not  only  be  liberal 
m  sending  the  Gospel  among  them,  but  they  should 
also  have  the  praise  of  our  salvation.  Such  would 
be  the  consequence  of  the  error  fully  carried  out. 

But  the  fall  to  which  the  apostle  alludes  in  this 
verse  was  not  their  rejecting  Christ,  for  in  re- 
jecting Christ  they  stumbled,  says  not  only  Paul, 
but  Peter,  and  Christ  also ;  but  in  the  fall  to  which 
the  apostle  in  this  verse  alludes,  they  did  not  stum- 
ble that  they  should  fall ;  "  God  forbid,'^  or  by  no 
means,  says  the  apostle. 

Paul  in  this  epistle  had  already  shown  their  com- 
mon level  with  the  Gentiles  under  the  Gospel  dispen- 
sation, so  that  he  anticipates  their  inquiry,  "  What 
advantage  then  hath  a  Jew  ?"  He  answers,  "  Much 
every  way  ;  chiefly  because  unto  them  were  committed 
the  oracles  of  God." 

The  Messiah  was  to  be  a  Jew,  "  of  whom  concern- 
ing the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all  (Jews  and 
Gentiles)  God,  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."  He  was 
to  be  known  while  in  the  flesh  as  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham.   Jesus  says  himself  "  salvatiori  is  of  tho  Jews.' 


234 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


But  his  most  precious  blood  was  shed,  it  was  poured 
out  as  an  offering  for  the  world  not  to  be  taken  up 
again.  By  this  act  their  natural  or  blood  relation- 
ship was  cut  off,  and  all  their  special  services  ended 
with  the  tabernacle,  which  was  but  the  figure  of  the 
true  ;  and  all  peculiar  promises  according  to  the  flesh 
terminated  with  the  promised  Seed  on  the  cross^ 
which  let  the  Jews  down,  or  "  fall,''  to  a  common 
level  with  the  Gentiles.  There  was  no  stumbling  of 
the  Jews  in  this. 

The  apostle  in  our  text  says,  "  we  have  known 
Christ  after  the  flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know 
we  him  no  more."  Now,  he  says  we  know  no 
man,  not  even  Christ,  after  the  flesh,  the  condition 
of  brotherhood  being  alike  to  all  through  the  Spirit. 

Now,  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
none  of  his.''  The  Jews  therefore  in  this  fall,  did 
not  stumble  that  they  should  fall ;  but  they  were 
provoked  to  jealousy.  And  now,  what  have  we  to 
thank  the  Jews  for  ?  Nothing  ;  unless  for  being 
jealous  and  mad  because  the  Gentiles  were  permitted 
to  enjoy  alike  with  themselves  the  blessings  and 
covenants  and  promises  of  God. 

I  say  then  have  they  stumbled  that  they  should 
fall  ?  God  forbid  ;  but  rather  through  their  fall  sal- 
vation is  come  unto  the  Gentiles."  That  is  the 
dropping  of  them  on  a  level  with  the  Gentiles,  accom- 
plished on  the  cross  by  the  pouring  out  of  Christ's 
blood,  has  brought  salvation  to  the  Gentiles.  This 
view  the  apostle  confirms  in  the  next  verse.  "  Now 
if  the  fall  of  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the 


JEWS  AS  JEWS  REJECTED. 


235 


diminisliing  of  them  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles ;  how 
much  more  their  fulness 

Their  fall  which  was  accomplished  by  the  atone- 
ment through  which  salvation  has  flowed  to  the  world, 
is  the  true  riches  of  the  world.  The  diminishing 
of  them,"  or  as  the  margin  reads,  their  loss,  is  the 
riches  of  the  Gentiles,  how  much  more  their  fulness 
If  the  Jews  generally  could  have  been  induced  to 
embrace  Christ  the  world  would  have  been  still  more 
enriched.  Their  unbelief  has  been  a  terrible  stum- 
bling-block to  the  world. 

"  For  I  speak  to  you  Gentiles,  inasmuch  as  I  am  the 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles  I  magnify  mine  office ;  if  by 
any  means  I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  which 
are  my  flesh,  and  might  save  some  of  them.  For  if 
the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the 
world,  what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  be,  but  life 
from  the  dead." 

The  apostle  does  not  hold  out  the  idea  that  the 
Jews  generally  would  be  saved,  but  ^^ifhy  any  means 
I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  which  are  my  flesh 
and  might  save  some  of  themP 

"  If  the  casting  away  of  them."  If  the  setting  of 
them  back  on  a  common  level  with  the  Gentiles,  by 
ending  the  ceremonial  law,  "  which  could  not  make 
him  that  did  the  service  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  vhe 
conscience ;  which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks, 
and  divers  washings  and  carnal  ordinances,  imposed 
on  them  until  the  time  of  reformation,"  until  Christ 
should  come,  ^'  be  the  reconciling  of  the  world  ;"  be 
the  means  of  the  gospel  of  reconciliation  being 


236 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


preached  to  the  world  ;  "  What  shall  the  receiving 
of  them  be  but  life  from  the  dead  That  is,  if  the 
apostle  could  by  "  any  mcans^^  prevail  on  these  Jews 
thus  cast  away,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  as  Gen- 
tiles, to  embrace  Christ,  what  shall  the  receiving  of 
them  be  but  life  from  the  dead  And  now,  we  ask, 
does  this  look  like  the  restoring  of  the  Jews  ?  Far 
from  it ;  but  the  apostle  knowing  the  many  strong 
declarations  against  the  Jews,  because  of  their  wicked 
unbelief,  and  lest  the  Gentiles  should  boast  and  think 
the  Jews  entirely  set  aside  for  them,  he  argues  that 
they  being  on  a  common  level,  special  efforts  might 
also  save  some  of  the  Jews. 

Having  cautioned  the  Gentiles  in  a  most  effectual 
manner  not  to  boast,  the  apostle  proceeds  in  the 
25th  verse,  "  For  I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye  should 
be  ignorant  of  this  mystery  (lest  ye  should  be  wise 
in  your  own  conceits),  that  blindness  in  part  is  hap- 
pened to  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be 
come  in.'' 

If  this  verse  proves  that  the  Jews  will  be  restored, 
it  also  proves  that  they  will  remain  blind  until  the 
fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in  which  is  fatal  to 
the  whole  theory  ;  for  that  theory  makes  the  Jews 
take  a  conspicuous  part  in  carrying  the  gospel  to  the 
Gentiles.  Thus  that  teaching  which  offers  special 
favor  to  Jews,  ends  Gentile  probation.  Now  then, 
as  "  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles"  will  not  be  accom- 
plished till  the  end  of  the  world,  what  docs  this  verse 
teach,  but  that  part  of  the  Jews  will  remain  blinded 
till  the  day  of  judgment  reveals  the  terrible  truth 


JEWS  AS  JiiWS  REJECTED. 


237 


that  they  have  been  hating  the  true  Messiah,  and 
despising  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  ?  Now  the 
apostle  says,  26th  verse,  "  So  all  Israel  shall  be 
saved  :  as  it  is  written,  there  shall  come  out  of  Zion 
the  deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from 
Jacob/' 

This  also  proves  too  much,  for  that  theory  ;  for  if 
the  "  all  Israel^^^  means  the  carnal  Jews,  then  it  proves 
the  salvation  of  every  infidel  J ew,  concerning  some 
of  whom  Christ  said,  "  I  go  away  and  ye  shall  seek 
me,  and  shall  die  in  your  sins  :  whither  I  go  ye 
cannot  come."  How  fearfully  true  Christ's  words 
have  proved  to  that  devoted  race !  They  rejected 
the  true  Messiah,  and  have  sought  and  sought  in 
vain  for  one  yet  to  come,  and  have  died  in  despair. 

Though  the  apostle  has  used  the  name  Israel  in 
speaking  of  the  Jews  as  a  nation,  yet  he  denied  them 
the  right  to  it  only  in  a  nominal  sense,  and  claims 
the  name  Israel  as  appropriate  only  to  true  believers  ; 
saying,  "  For  they  are  not  all  Israel,  which  are  of 
Israel.'' 

Give  Paul's  own  definition  to  Israel,  and  there  is 
no  difficulty  ;  and  unless  we  do,  we  make  him  contra- 
dict himself,  for  he  applied  the  following  words  to 
some  of  them :  "  Let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  that 
they  may  not  see,  and  bow  down  their  back  always." 
"  But  as  it  is  written  ;"  his  quotation  from  the 
prophet  clearly  confirms  this  application  of  the  name 
Israel.  Isaiah  lix.  20  :  "  And  the  Redeemer  shall 
come  to  Zion,  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  trans- 
gression in  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord."    Jesus  said  to 


238 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


his  disciples,  who  had  "  turned  from  transgression  in 
J^cob/'  and  through  them  to  all  true  believers,  "I 
will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto  myself." 

Yes,  they  all,  the  true  Israel,  shall  be  saved,  even 
from  the  consequences  of  sin,  and  shall  be  redeemed 
from  the  grave. 

27th  verse  :  "  For  this  is  my  covenant  with  them 
when  I  shall  take  away  their  sins  f  this  is  the 
covenant  with  all  those  who  believe  on  Jesus,  and 
their  sins  are  taken  away,  or  forgiven ;  "  and  this 
is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all 
which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but 
should  rais€  it  up  again  at  the  last  day." 

In  such  a  restoration  of  Israel  we  most  firmly 
believe ;  that  is,  of  Paul's  true  Israel,  of  all  true 
believers.  But  not  to  old  Jerusalem;  for  she  is 
doomed,  cast  out ;  "  in  bondage  with  her  children  f 
but  to  a  "  city  to  come,"  to  the  "  holy  city,  new 
Jerusalem,"  which  John  saw  "coming  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for 
her  husband,"  and  to  that  heavenly  country  promised 
to  Abraham.  "  For  the  promise  that  he  should  be 
the  heir  of  the  world  was  not  to  Abraham,  or  to  his 
seed,  through  the  law,  but  through  the  righteousness 
of  faith."  "  Wherefore,  henceforth  know  we  no  man  ' 
after  the  flesh." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


ME  HOUSE  OP  MANSIONS  ABOVE — THE  HOLY  CITY  TO 
COME. 

"For  here  have  we  no  continuing  city,  but  we  seek  one  to 
come." — Heb.  xiii.  14. 

In  this  mortal  state  our  cities  rise,  and  as  quickly 
fall  ;  our  habitations  are  consumed,  and  they  vanish 
away.  We  build  houses  and  others  inhabit  them ; 
we  plant  vineyards  and  others  eat  the  fruit  of  them. 
**The  earth  and  the  heavens,"  the  atmosphere  about 
the  earth,  "  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  doth  a  garment, 
and  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  fold  them  up,  and  they 
shall  be  changed." 

But  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  the  holy  city 
which  is  to  come,  shall  be  permanent ;  for  so  has  God 
promised,  saying,  "  Yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the 
earth  only  but  also  heaven.  And  this  word,  yet 
once  more,  signifieth  the  removing  of  those  things  that 
are  shaken,  as  of  things  that  are  made,  that  those 
things  which  cannot  be  shaken  may  remain.  Where- 
fore we  receiving  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved, 
let  us  have  grace  whereby  we  may  serve  God  accept- 
ably with  reverence  and  godly  fear." — Heb.  xii. 
2G-28. 

Though  old  Jerusalem  is  cast  out  in  bondage  with 
her  children,  eternally  doomed,  yet  there  is  a  city  to 
come,  a  new  Jerusalem  which  is  above  and  free.  In 


240 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


it  there  are  many  mansions.  "  In  my  Father's  house 
there  are  many  mansions,  if  it  were  not  so  I  would 
have  told  you»" 

But  this  holy  city  is  to  come  down  upon  the  earth. 
This  was  the  apostle's  faith,  "  but  we  seek  one  to 
come,"  and  of  its  coming  down  John  had  a  glorious 
sight,  Rev.  xxi.  "  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  i 
new  Jerusalem  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  ' 
prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband." 
Jesus  said,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you."  Yes, 
Christ  has  prepared  it  most  gloriously  ;  in  the  very 
best,    prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husbandJ^ 

Not  a  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  but  a  coming  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven.  It  is  of  heavenly  origin  ; 
it  is  of  unmingled  purity  :  it  is  the  holy  city.  The 
reading  of  the  record  of  its  glory  fills  the  soul  with 
holy  melody.  Being  of  heavenly  origin,  its  beauty 
is  unfading  ;  an  eternal  excellency,  a  glory  in  all  the 
earth.  And  after  John  has  given  so  magnificent  a 
description  he  fails  to  tell  its  glory,  for  it  is  conse- 
crated with  the  presence  and  glory  of  God. 

"  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying, 
Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  ho 
will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people, 
and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their 
God." 

Not  man  carried  away  to  dwell  with  God,  but  his 
tabernacle  is  with  men  ;  as  of  old  in  Paradise,  God 
walked  and  talked  with  our  first  parents,  so  now,  in 
humanity  glorified,  in  the  person  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  "  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 


THE  HOLY  CITY  TO  COME. 


241 


Godhead  bodily;'^ he  shall  be  with  his  people,  and 
they  shall  behold  his  glory. 

"  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death  ;  neither  sor- 
row nor  crying ;  neither  shall  there  be  any  more 
pain  :  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away." 

This  verse  assures  us  that  it  is  in  the  immortal 
state,  beyond  the  time  of  sorrow,  pain,  and  death. 
Here  in  this  mortal  state,  decay,  disease,  waste,  and 
death,  wither  all  about  us.  Blessed  promise !  There 
shall  be  no  more  pain,  sorrow,  or  death.  His  peo- 
ple quickened  by  the  life-giving  power  of  the  Spirit, 
they  shall  be  filled  with  immortal  vigor  and  energy. 
Death,  that  mighty  agent  which  has  carried  all 
before  it  for  these  six  thousand  years,  shall  be 
destroyed.      There  shall  be  no  more  death." 

And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  behold,  I 
make  all  things  new.  And  he  said  unto  me  write, 
for  these  things  are  true  and  faithful." 

Not  all  new  things  made,  but  "  behold  I  I  make 
all  things  new."  The  earth  is  not  to  be  annihilated  ; 
it  is  to  be  made  new  and  glorious  as  the  garden  of 
God.  This  scene  is  not  to  be  understood  symboli- 
cally, for  "  he  said  unto  me  write,  for  these  words 
are  true  and  faithful."  That  is,  they  are  not  symbols 
to  represent  something  else  :  they  are  literally  true, 
and  shall  be  fulfilled  just  as  God  showed  them  unto 
his  servant  John.  This  is  the  city  which  has  founda- 
tions. "  And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twglve 
foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve 
apostles  of  the  Lamb." 

11 


242 


THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE. 


This  is  the  city  for  which  Abraham  looked.  "  For 
he  looked  for  a  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God.'^  This  is  the  house  into 
which  Paul  expected  to  enter  when  his  body  should 
be  dissolved  by  death.  "  For  we  know  that  if  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we 
have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens." 

Not  eternally  in  the  heavens,  as  some  would  have 
it,  but  an  eternal  house,  now  in  the  heavens,  being 
gloriously  prepared  by  our  Lord,  that  he  may  bring 
it  down  to  grace  the  renovated  earth,  as  the  capital 
of  his  coming  glorious  and  everlasting  kingdom. 
It  is  evident  Paul  understood  that  the  eternal  house, 
now  in  the  heavens,  would  come  down  on  the  earth, 
for  he  adds,  in  the  next  verse,  "For  in  this  we  groan, 
earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our 
house  which  is  from  heaven." — 2  Cor.  v.  1,  2. 

"Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men." 
This  is  "  the  true  tabernacle  which  the  Lord  pitched, 
and  not  man."  Blessed  prophecy  !  The  Lord  shall 
come  down  to  tabernacle  with  men,  and  they  shall  walk 
in  the  light  of  his  countenance,  and  behold  his  glory, 
and  listen  to  the  accents  of  kindness  that  shall  fall 
in  soft  and  soothing  melody  from  his  lips.  Ilis  own 
prayer  shall  be  answered  :  "  Father,  I  will  that  they 
also  whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I 
am  ;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast 
givgn  me  :  for  thou  lovcdst  me  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world." 

This  is  the  Paradise  of  which  Jesus  spoke,  while 


THE  HOLY  CITY  TO  COME. 


243 


bearing  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  cross  ;  into 
which  he  said  the  penitent  thief  should  enter.  It  is 
then  not  only  a  city,  but  a  garden  ;  in  it  is  the  tree 
of  life  ;  it  is  the  Paradise  of  God.  Many  things  join 
to  make  this  Eternal  City  of  the  Great  King,  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth.  The  tree  of  life  is  now  in 
Paradise,  in  the  holy  city  which  is  above  :  He  that 
hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto 
the  churches  :  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  Paradise  of  God."  And  it  shall  also  be  upon 
the  earth  again  when  the  new  Jerusalem  comes  down. 

As  of  old  there  was  in  the  midst  of  the  garden  of 
-Eden  the  tree  of  life,  "  and  a  river  went  out  of 
Eden  to  water  the  garden,"  so  John  says  of  the 
Paradise  to  come,  the  new  Jerusalem.  "  And  he 
showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and 
of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and 
on  either  side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of 
life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded 
her  fruit  every  month  :"  "  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters."  Feed 
them !  Yes  ;  he  will  feed  the  eye  with  beauty,  and 
the  ear  with  music,  the  mind  with  knowledge,  and 
the  heart  with  love.  This  is  no  imaginary  scene  : 
it  is  His  word  which  has  hitherto  been  fulfilled  to 
the  letter.  As  originally  "  the  Lord  made  to  grow 
every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight,"  so  these 
literal  glories  on  which  our  eyes  have  been  accus- 


244 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


tomed  to  look  in  their  degenerate  state,  shall  glow 
with  immortal  beauty,  more  glorious  than  when 
originally  created.  The  Great  King  while  in  the 
flesh  was  an  admirer  of  the  flowers  of  the  field,  and 
declared,  "  that  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  was  not 
arrayed  like  one  of  these/^  Shall  not  He  who  thus 
admired  them,  deck  the  earth  again  with  their 
beauty,  and  fill  it  with  their  fragrance  ? 

For  a  description  of  the  Holy  City,  we  refer  the 
reader  to  those  high  and  lofty  thoughts,  to  those  me- 
lodious words  penned  by  John,  the  fisherman  of  the 
lake  of  Gennesareth,  who  had  been  accustomed  to 
lean  on  the  bosom  of  its  Great  King  ;  and  whose 
name  shall  be  set  in  glorious  gems,  in  one  of  the 
twelve  foundations  of  the  Holy  City. 

This  Holy  City,  this  Paradise  of  God,  will  far  sur- 
pass the  original  Paradise  ;  so  also  does  its  Lord  and 
King  far  surpass,  beyond  comparison,  the  first  Adam. 
No  Serpent  there  to  tempt  its  inhabitants  ;  they  shall 
never  be  driven  from  it ;  its  duration  is  eternal,  its 
guardian  Omnipotence. 

Then  shall  come  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the 
glory  of  his  reign.  "And  I  heard  as  it  were  the 
voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  say- 
ing, Alleluia :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reign 
eth."  Then  shall  have  come  the  restitution  spoken 
of  by  all  the  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began  ; 
and  the  "  whole  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory 
of  the  Lord." 

Then  shall  be  fulfilled  as  Daniel  has  seen  in  holy 


THE  HOLY  CITY  TO  COME. 


245 


vision,  "  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven  shall  be 
given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all 
dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him." 

Then  shall  be  fulfilled  the  promises  of  the  gospel 
covenant.  His  people  shall  have  returned  to  Zion 
with  songs  of  praise  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
heads  ;  and  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know 
the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least 
of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord  ; 
for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  remember  their 
sins  no  more." 

Then  shall  his  people  "  go  out  with  joy,  and  be  led 
forth  with  peace ;  the  mountains  and  the  hills  shall 
break  forth  before  them  into  singing,  and  all  the 
trees  of  the  field  shall  clap  their  hands.  Instead  of 
the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir-tree ;  instead  of  the 
briar  shall  come  up  the  myrtle-tree  ;  and  it  shall  be 
to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting  sign  that 
shall  not  be  cut  off." 

Then  shall  "  the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place 
be  glad  for  them ;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice,  and 
blossom  as  the  rose.  It  shall  blossom  abundantly, 
and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and  singing  ;  the  glory  of 
Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency  of 
Carmel  and  Sharon,  they  shall  see  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God." 

The  whole  family  of  the  redeemed,  from  Abel  to 
the  last  soul  saved  all  immortal  with  that  command 


246 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


ment  upon  which  "hang  all  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets," that  universal  law  of  God,  with  which  he 
governs  all  holy  intelligences,  the  law  of  love,  fully 
written  in  their  hearts,  which  shall  for  ever  unite 
them  to  their  common  Lord,  and  -to  all  holy  beings. 

Something  of  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  King 
may  be  learned  by  the  description  John  has  given  in 
the  first  chapter  of  Eevelation.  He  says,  he  saw 
*  the  Son  of  man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to 
the  foot,  and  girt  with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head 
and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white  as 
snow  ;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire  ;  and  his 
feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a 
furnace ;  .  .  .  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength." 

Though  John  was  accustomed  to  lean  on  Jesus' 
bosom  while  he  was  in  the  flesh,  he  is  now  overcome 
with  his  glory,  like  the  three  disciples  who  sawTiis 
glory  in  the  holy  mount.  He  says,  "  when  I  saw 
him  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead."  The  eyes  of  flesh 
and  blood  could  not  behold  such  glory. 

But  Jesus,  though  thus  glorified,  retains  all  that 
love  and  tenderness  of  heart  which  he  had  while  on 
earth.  "  This  was  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved.'' 
John  says,  "  He  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying 
unto  me,  fear  not ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last ;  I  am 
he  that  liveth  and  was  dead  ;  and  behold,  I  am  alive 
for  evermore,  Amen  ;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and 
of  death." 

This  is  the  description  of  one  who  saw  his  glory. 
And  this  same  disciple  says,  "  It  does  not  yet  appear 


4 


THE  HOLY  CITY  TO  COME. 


247 


what  we  shall  be,  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall 
appear  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as 
he  is."  Look  upon  the  sun  in  its  strength  and  then 
think  of  the  King  with  the  multitude  of  his  redeemed 
thus  shining  as  the  sun  in  his  strength,  in  that  ; 
glorious  kingdom.  ^ 

"  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of 
the  moon,  to  shine  in  it  :  for  the  glory  of  God  did 
lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof." 

Isaiah,  whose  lips  had  been  touched  with  hallowed 
fire,  was  permitted  a  vision  of  the  glory  of  Christ^g 
kingdom  in  the  renovated  earth,  and  he  said,  ^'  Then 
the  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed, 
when  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion, 
and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his  ancients  gloriously." 

Thus  have  we  seen  that  the  Bible  opens  with  the 
unfallen  glories  of  the  creation,  put  in  subjection  to 
man,  who  was  then  in  the  image  of  his  Maker  ;  and 
although  man  has  fallen  and  forfeited  his  inheritance, 
the  Bible  closes  with  the  glories  of  the  restitution  of 
all  things  made  again  the  unfading  dominion  of  man, 
not  only  restored  to  the  image  of  his  God,  but  the 
very  Godhead  in  humanity,  in  the  person  of  its  Lord 
and  King,  to  be  its  eternal  guardian. 

"  This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord^ 
and  their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord." 


CHAPTER  XX. 


EXTRACTS  CONCERNING  THE  FINAL  RESIDENCE  OF  THB 
SAINTS. 

From  the  writings  of  leading  men  in  the  church  eminent  for  learning 
and  piety. 

Edward  Hitchcock,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  President  of  Am- 
herst College,  and  professor  of  Natural  Theology  and 
Geology,  in  his  work  entitled  "  The  Religion  of  Geo- 
logy,'' most  happily  maintains  from  the  science  of 
Geology,  that  the  earth  will  not  be  annihilated,  but 
renovated  at  the  conflagration  which  awaits  it,  and 
that  the  Scriptures  teach  it  will  become  the  residence 
of  the  redeemed.  Whoever  would  enjoy  a  rich  mental 
feast,  and  have  removed  from  his  mind  the  last  ves- 
tige of  fear  that  the  earth's  history  or  Geology  can 
possibly  conflict  with  the  truth  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
'tures,  let  him  read  carefully  his  work.  The  following 
quotations  are  from  chapter  xi.  After  quoting  at 
length  the  Apostle  Peter's  description  of  the  renova- 
tion of  the  earth  by  fire,  he  says  : 

"  The  prevailing  opinion  in  this  country,  probably, 
has  been,  and  stUl  is,  that  the  destruction  of  the  world 
described  by  Peter  will  amount  to  annihilation — that 
the  matter  of  the  globe  will  cease  to  be.  But  in  all 
ages  there  have  been  many  who  believed  that  the 
destruction  will  be  only  the  ruin  of  the  present  eco- 


DR.  HITCHCOCK'S  OPINION. 


249 


nomy  of  the  world,  but  not  its  utter  extinction.  And 
surely  Peter's  description  does  not  imply  annihilation 
of  the  matter  of  the  globe.  He  makes  fire  the  agent 
of  the  destruction,  and,  in  order  to  ascertain  the 
extent  of  the  ruin  that  will  follow,  we  have  only  to 
inquire  what  effect  combustion  will  have  upon  mat- 
ter. The  common  opinion  is,  that  intense  combustion 
actually  destroys  or  annihilates  matter,  because  it  is 
thereby  dissipated.  But  the  chemist  knows  that  no 
one  particle  of  matter  has  ever  been  thus  deprived  of 
existence  ;  that  fire  only  changes  the  form  of  matter, 
but  never  annihilates  it.  When  solid  matter  is 
changed  into  gas,  as  in  most  cases  of  combustion,  it 
seems  to  be  annihilated,  because  it  disappears  ;  but  it 
has  only  assumed  a  new  form,  and  exists  as  really  as 
before.  Since,  therefore,  biblical  and  scientific  truth 
must  agree,  we  may  be  sure  that  the  apostle  never 
meant  to  teach  that  the  matter  of  the  globe  would 
cease  to  be,  through  the  action  of  fire  upon  it ;  nor 
is  there  anything  in  his  language  that  implies  such  a 
result,  but  most  obviously  the  reverse." 

In  pursuing  this  subject  Dr.  Hitchcock  shows  the 
perfect  adaptation  of  the  language  of  Peter  to  the 
scientific  discoveries  of  modern  times.  And  further 
says : 

"  In  the  fifth  place,  the  passage  under  consideration 
teaches  that  the  earth  will  be  renovated  by  the  fiual 
conflagration,  and  become  the  abode  of  the  righteous. 
After  describing  the  day  of  God,  Wherein  the 
heavens^  being  on  fire ^  shall  be  dissolved ,  and  the  elements 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat  ;  Peter  adds,  JVevcrthehss^ 

11* 


250 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


we  J  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a 
new  earth,  iv herein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Now,  tlio 
apostle  does  not  here,  in  so  many,  words,  declare  that 
the  new  heavens  and  earth  will  be  the  present  world 
and  its  atmosphere,  purified  and  renovated  by  fire. 
But  it  is  certainly  a  natural  inference  that  such  was 
his  meaning.  For  if  he  intended  some  other  remote 
and  quite  different  place,  why  should  he  call  it  earth, 
and,  especially,  why  should  he  surround  it  with  an 
atmosphere  ?  The  natural  and  most  obvious  meaning 
of  the  passage  surely  is,  that  the  future  residence  of 
the  righteous  will  be  this  present  terraqueous  globe,  ' 
after  its  entire  organic  and  combustible  matter  shall 
have  been  destroyed,  and  its  whole  mass  reduced  by 
heat  to  a  liquid  state,  and  then  a  new  economy  reared 
up  on  its  surface,  not  adapted  to  sinful  but  to  sinless  . 
beings  ;  and,  therefore,  quite  different  from  its  pre- 
sent condition — probably  more  perfect,  but  still  the 
same  earth  and  surrounding  heavens." 

Dr.  Hitchcock  might  have  given,  no  doubt,  a  verbal 
criticism  of  the  above  language,  which  would  have 
made  Peter  say,  in  so  many  words,  that  this  very 
earth  shall  be  renewed  and  become  the  abode  of  the 
righteous  ;  but,  perhaps,  fearful  his  readers  might 
think  he  was  influenced  by  scientific  considerations 
in  his  exegesis,  he  preferred  to  let  it  stand,  deeming 
it  sufficiently  strong.  But  with  no  such  influence,  the 
late  Professor  of  Sacred  Literature  in  the  Theological 
Seminary,  Andover,  Edward  Robinson,  D.D.,  in  his 
invaluable  Greek  and  English  Lexicon  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, says,  that  the  original  word  rendered  new  in 


DR.  KNAPP'S  OPINION. 


251 


2  Pet.  iii.  13  ;  Isa.  Ixv.  17,  Ixvi.  22,  means  renewed, 
or  77iade  new,  hence  better,  superior,  more  splendid. 
So  the  corresponding  word  of  the  Old  Testament 
means  as  a  verb,  to  make  new,  renew,  repair,  restore, 
as  in  1  Sam.  xi.  14  ;  Job  x.  17  :  Ps.  li.  12 ;  Is.  Ixi. 
4  ;  2  Chr.  xv.  8,  xxiv.  4  ;  Ps.  ciii.  5.  Whence  are 
de-rived  the  words  rendered  new,  or  renewed,  and 
new  moon.  So  the  phrase,  a  new  heart,  means  a 
renewed  or  regenerated  heart,  and  when  Paul  calls  a 
Christian  "  a  new  creature,"  he  means  a  renewed  or 
regenerated  person. 

Also,  what  Peter  call  5  the  heavens,  John  in  Rev. 
xxi.  1,  calls  heaven.  The  interchange  of  the  singular 
and  plural  of  heaven  and  heavens,  without  change  of 
meaning,  is  common  in  the  Scriptures  ;  therefore  the 
intelligent  reader  will  feel  under  no  necessity  of  un- 
derstanding Peter  to  mean  any  more  than  the  reno- 
vation of  this  earth  and  its  atmosphere,  and  not  that 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  whose  renovation  by  fire  the 
Bible  leaves  astronomy  to  reveal. 

Hitchcock  further  says,  "that  Dr.  Knapp,  one  of 
the  most  scientific  and  judicious  of  theologians,  thus 
remarks  upon  the  passage  of  Peter  already  examined  : 
*  It  cannot  be  thought  that  what  is  here  said  respect- 
ing the  burning  of  the  world  is  to  be  understood 
figuratively,  as  Wettstein  supposes  ;  because  the  fire 
is  here  too  directly  opposed  to  the  literal  water  of 
the  flood  to  be  so  understood.  It  is  the  object  of 
Peter  to  refute  the  boast  of  scoffers,  that  all  things 
had  remained  unchanged  from  the  beginning,  and 
that,  therefore,  no  day  of  judgment  and  no  end  of  the 


1 


252 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


world  could  be  expected.  And  so  lie  says  that  ori 
ginally,  at  the  time  of  the  creation,  the  whole  earth 
was  covered  and  overflowed  with  water  (Gen.  i.), 
and  that  from  hence  the  dry  land  appeared  ;  and  the 
same  was  true  at  the  time  of  Noah^s  flood.  But  there 
is  yet  to  come  a  great  fire  revolution.  The  heavens 
and  the  earth  (the  earth  with  its  atmosphere)  are 
reserved,  or  kept  in  store,  for  the  fire,  until  the  day 
of  judgment,  (v.  10.)  At  that  time  the  heavens  will 
pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  will 
be  dissolved  with  fervent  hea"",  and  everything  upon 
the  earth  will  be  burnt  up.  '  l  he  same  thing  is  taught 
in  verse  12.  But  in  verse  13,  Peter  gives  the  design 
of  this  revolution.  It  will  not  be  annihilation, 
but  we  expect  a  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,  i.  e.  an  entirely  new, 
altered,  and  beautiful  abode  for  man,  to  be  built 
from  the  ruins  of  his  former  dwelling-place,  as  the 
future  habitation  of  the  pious  (Rev.  xxi.  1).  This 
will  be  very  much  in  the  same  way  as  a  more  per- 
fect and  an  immortal  body  will  be  reared  from  the 
body  which  we  now  possess.'" — Theology,  vol.  ii. 
p.  649. 

Again,  says  Dr.  Hitchcock,  "  The  wide-spread 
opinion  that  heaven  will  be  a  sort  of  airy  Elysium, 
vv^hcre  the  present  laws  of  nature  will  be  unknown, 
And  where  matter,  if  it  exist,  can  exist  only  in  its 
most  attenuated  form,  is  a  notion  to  which  the  Bible 
Is  a  stranger. 

"  The  resurrection  of  the  body,  as  well  as  the  lan- 
guage of  Peter,  most  clearly  show  us  that  the  future 


GRIFFIN  AND  CAMPBELL. 


253 


world  will  be  a  solid,  material  world,  purified  indeed, 
and  beautified,  but  retaining  its  materialism." 

Rev.  George  Campbell,  D.D.,  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  Scotland,  says,  in  his  translation  of  the  four 
gospels,  Matt.  xix.  28,  "  That  at  the  renovation,  when 
the  Son  of  man  shall  be  seated  on  His  glorious  throne, 
ye,  my  followers  sitting  also  on  twelve  thrones  shall 
judge,  &c."  He  remarks,  "  The  principal  completion 
will  be  at  the  general  resurrection,  when  there  will 
be  in  the  most  important  sense  a  renovation  or  rege- 
neration (a  new  creation)  of  heaven  and  earth,  when 
all  things  shall  become  new." 

Rev.  Edward  D.  Griffen,  D.D.,  late  president 
of  Williams  College,  Mass.,  says,  "  A  question  here 
arises,  whether  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth  will 
be  created  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  old  ;  that  is,  whe- 
ther the  old  will  be  renovated  and  restored  in  a  more 
glorious  form  ;  or  whether  the  old  will  be  annihilated 
and  the  new  made  out  of  nothing.  The  idea  of  the 
annihilation  of  so  many  immense  and  glorious  bodies, 
organized  with  inimitable  skill  and  declarative  of 
infinite  wisdom,  is  gloomy  and  forbidding.  Indeed 
it  is  scarcely  credible  that  God  should  annihilate  any 
of  his  works,  much  less,  so  many  and  so  glorious 
works.  It  ought  not  to  be  believed  without  the  most 
decisive  proof.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  most  ani- 
mating thought  that  this  visible  creation  which  sin 
has  marred, — which  the  polluted  breath  of  men  and 
devils  has  defiled, — and  which  by  sin  wUl  be  reduced 
to  utter  ruin, — will  be  restored  by  our  Jesus, — will 
arise  from  its  ruins  in  tenfold  splendor,  and  shine 


i 


254 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


with  more  illustrious  glory  than  before  it  was  defaced 
by  sin. 

"  After  a  laborious  and  anxious  search  for  light  on 
this  interesting  subject,  I  must  pronounce  the  latter 
to  be  my  decided  opinion.  And  the  same,  I  find,  has 
been  the  more  common  opinion  of  the  Christian 
fathers,  of  the  divines  of  the  Reformation,  and  of  the 
critics  and  annotators  who  have  since  flourished.  I 
could  produce  on  this  side  a  catalogue  of  names  which 
would  convince  you  that  this  has  certainly  been  the 
common  opinion  of  the  Christian  church  in  every  age, 
as  it  was  also  of  the  Jewish.'' — Sermons^  vol.  ii. 
p.  450. 

Reuel  Keith,  D.D.,  Professor  in  Theological  Se- 
minary of  Virginia,  in  his  translation  of  the  Chris- 
tology,  by  E.  W.  Hengstenberg,  D.D.,  vol.  i.  p.  10, 
says.  The  Messiah,  "  finally,  when  the  present  course 
of  the  world  shall  have  ended,  will  abolish  even  the 
outward  consequences  of  the  fall,  the  evil  which  sin 
has  occasioned,  and,  after  the  utter  extinction  of  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  glorify  his  divine  kingdom  on 
the  renovated  earth."  And  again,  on  p.  14,  speaking 
of  the  antiquity  of  this  doctrine,  he  in  substance 
says,  that  during  the  present  course  of  this  world, 
the  conflict  will  continue  between  holiness  and  sin 
and,  at  the  time  of  the  restoration,  sin  will  bo 
utterly  destroyed,  and  men  purified  will  enjoy  a  per- 
fectly happy  and  peaceful  life  on  the  glorified  earth. 

Tlioluck,  another  distinguished  German  divine,  of 
the  orthodox  school,  says,  "  still  more  definitely  do 
we  find  the  belief  of  a  transformation  of  the  material 


THOLUCK,  LUTHER,  AND  SMITH. 


world  declared  in  2  Peter  iii.  7-12.  The  idea  that 
the  perfected  kingdom  of  Christ  is  to  be  transferred 
to  heaven,  is  properly  a  modern  notion.  According 
to  Paul,  and  the  Revelation  of  John,  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  placed  on  the  earth,  in  so  far  as  this  itself 
has  part  in  the  universal  transformation.  This  ex- 
position has  been  adopted  and  defended  by  most  of 
the  oldest  commentators  ;  e.  g.,  Chrysostom,  Thco- 
doret,  Hieronymus,  Augustine,  Luther,  Koppe,  and 
others.  Luther  says  in  his  lively  way,  '  God  will 
make,  not  the  earth  only,  but  the  heaven  also,  much 
more  beautiful  than  they  are  at  present.  At  present, 
we  see  the  world  in  its  working  clothes  ;  but  here- 
after it  will  be  arrayed  in  its  Easter  and  Whitsun- 
tide robes.' 

The  Rev.  John  Pye  Smith,  D.D.,  says,  "  I  cannot  but 
feel  astonishment,  that  any  serious  and  intelligent 
man  should  have  his  mind  fettered  with  the  common, 
I  might  call  it  the  vulgar  notion,  of  a  proper  destruc- 
tion of  the  earth ;  and  some  seem  to  extend  the  no- 
tion to  the  whole  solar  system,  and  even  the  entire 
universe,  applying  the  idea  of  extinction  of  being,  a 
reducing  to  nothingness.  This  notion  has,  indeed, 
been  often  used  to  aid  impassioned  description  in  ser- 
mons and  poetry  ;  and  thus  it  has  gained  so  strong  a 
hold  upon  the  feelings  of  many  pious  persons,  that 
they  have  made  it  an  article  of  their  faith.  But  1 
confess  myself  unable  to  find  any  evidence  for  it,  in 
nature,  reason,  or  Scripture. 

If  it  be  the  purpose  of  God  that  the  earth  shall  be 
subjected  to  a  total  conflagration,  Ave  perfectly  well 


256 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


know  that  the  instruments  of  such  an  event  lie  close 
at  hand,  and  wait  only  the  divine  volition  to  burst 
out  in  a  moment.  But  that  would  not  be  a  destruc- 
tion ;  it  would  be  a  mere  change  of  form,  and,  no 
doubt,  would  be  subservient  to  the  most  glorious  re- 
sults. *  We,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  a  new 
heavens,  and  a  new  earth  ;  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness.' " — Scripture  and  Geology,  pp.  190-192. 
New  York  Ed. 

The  Rev.  John  Wesley,  A.M.,  in  a  sermon  from  the 
text,  "  Behold,  I  make  all  things  new,"  Rev.  xxi.  6, 
says,  "  Very  many  commentators  entertain  a  strange 
opinion,  that  this  relates  only  to  the  present  state  of 
things ;  and  gravely  tell  us,  that  the  words  are  to  be 
referred  to  the  flourishing  state  of  the  church,  which 
commenced  after  the  heathen  persecutions.  Nay, 
some  of  them  have  discovered,  that  all  which  the 
apostle  speaks  concerning  the  *  new  heaven  and  the 
new  earth'  was  fulfilled,  when  Constantino  the 
Great  poured  in  riches  and  honours  upon  the  Chris- 
tians. What  a  miserable  way  is  this,  of  making  void 
the  whole  counsel  of  God,  with  regard  to  all  that 
grand  chain  of  events,  in  reference  to  his  church,  yea, 
and  to  all  mankind,  from  the  time  that  John  was  in 
Patmos,  unto  the  end  of  the  world !  Nay,  the  lino 
of  this  prophecy  reaches  farther  still ;  it  does  not 
end  with  the  present  world,  but  shows  us  the  things 
Uiat  will  come  to  pass  when  this  world  is  no  more. 
For  thus  saith  the  Creator  and  Governor  of  the  uni- 
verse :  '  Behold  I  make  all  things  new  1' — all  which 
arc  included  in  that  expression  of  the  apostle,  'A 


Wesley's  opinion. 


257 


new  heaven  and  a  new  earth/  This  is  the  introduc- 
tion to  a  far  nobler  state  of  things,  such  as  it  has  not 
yet  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive, — the 
universal  restoration.  For  *  we  look/  says  the 
apostle,  *for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness.'  2  Pet.  iii.  7,  &c." 

Wesley  proceeds  to  give  a  very  glowing  descrip- 
tion of  what  changes  shall  take  place  in  the  heaven 
or  the  atmosphere  about  the  earth,  and  proceeds  to 
say,  Let  us  next  take  a  view  of  those  changes  which 
we  may  reasonably  suppose  will  then  take  place  in 
the  earth.  It  will  no  more  be  bound  up  with  intense 
cold,  nor  parched  up  with  extreme  heat ;  but  will 
have  such  a  temperature  as  will  be  most  conducive  to 
its  fruitfulness.  If,  in  order  to  punish  its  inhabit- 
ants, God  did  of  old 

"  *Bid  his  angels  turn  askance 
This  oblique  globe/ 

thereby  occasioning  violent  cold  on  one  part,  and 
violent  heat  on  the  other  ;  he  will,  undoubtedly,  then 
order  them  to  restore  it  to  its  original  position  ;  so 
that  there  will  be  a  final  end,  on  the  one  hand,  of  the 
burning  heat,  which  makes  some  parts  of  it  scarce 
habitable  ;  and  on  the  other,  of 

"  'The  rage  of  Arctos  and  eternal  frost!' 

And  it  will  then  contain  no  jarring  or  destructive 
principles  within  its  own  bosom.  It  will  no  more 
have  any  of  those  violent  convulsions  in  its  own 
bowels.    It  will  no  more  be  shaken  or  torn  asunder 


258 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


by  the  impetuous  force  of  earthquakes  ;  and  will, 
therefore,  need  neither  Vesuvius  nor  Etna,  nor  any 
burning  mountains  to  prevent  them.  There  will  be 
no  more  horrid  rocks,  or  frightful  precipices ;  no 
wild  deserts,  or  barren  sands  ;  no  impassable  mo- 
rasses or  unfruitful  bogs  to  swallow  up  the  unwary 
traveller.  There  will,  doubtless,  be  inequalities  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth  ;  which  are  not  blemishes  but 
beauties.    And  though  I  will  not  affirm,  that 

*  "  Earth  hath  this  variety  from  heaven, 
Of  pleasure  situate  in  hiU  and  dale 

yet  I  cannot  think  gently  rising  hills  will  be  any 
defect,  but  an  ornament  of  the  new  made  earth.  And, 
doubtless,  we  shall  then  likewise  have  occasion  to  say, 

*  "  Lo,  there  his  wondrous  skill  arrays 
The  fields  in  cheerful  green ! 
A  thousand  herbs  his  hand  displays, 
A  thousand  flowers  between  I' 

"  And  what  will  the  general  produce  of  the  earth  be  ? 
Not  thorns,  briers,  or  thistles  ;  not  any  useless  or 
fetid  weed  ;  not  any  poisonous,  hurtful,  or  unpleasant 
plant ;  but  every  one  that  can  be  conducive  in  any 
wise,  either  to  our  use  or  pleasure.  How  far  beyond 
all  that  the  most  lively  imagination  is  now  able  to 
conceive.  .  .  .  For  all  the  earth  shall  be  a 
more  beautiful  paradise  than  Adam  ever  saw. 

"  But  the  most  glorious  of  all  will  be  the  change 
which  then  will  take  place  on  the  poor,  sinful,  mise- 
rable children  of  men.  These  had  fallen  in  many 
respects,  as  from  a  greater  height,  so  into  a  lower 


DR.  gill's  opinion. 


259 


depth,  than  any  other  part  of  the  creation.  But  they 
shall  ^  hear  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying,  be- 
hold the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will 
dwell  with  them  ;  and  they  shall  be  his  people ;  and 
God  himself  shall  be  their  God,'  Rev.  xxi.  3,  4. 
Hence  will  arise  an  unmixed  state  of  holiness  and 
happiness,  far  superior  to  that  which  Adam  enjoyed 
in  paradise.  In  how  beautiful  a  manner  is  this  de- 
scribed by  the  apostle :  '  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying  ;  neither  shall  there 
be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the  former  things  are  done 
away.'  As  there  will  be  no  more  death,  and  no  more 
pain  or  sickness  preparatory  thereto;  as  there  will 
be  no  more  grieving  for.  or  parting  with  friends  ;  so 
there  will  be  no  more  sorrow  or  crying.  Nay,  but 
there  will  be  a  greater  deliverance  than  all  this,  for 
there  will  be  no  more  sin.  And,  to  crown  all,  there 
will  be  a  deep,  an  intimate,  an  uninterrupted  union 
with  God  ;  a  constant  communion  with  the  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  Spirit ;  a  con- 
tinual enjoyment  of  the  Three-One  God,  and  of  all 
the  creatures  in  him." — Wesley^ s  Sermons^  vol.  ii. 
pp.  82-87. 

The  Rev.  John  Gill,  D.D.,  an  eminent  theologian 
of  the  Baptist  denomination,  England,  taught  that 
the  earth  would  be  made  new  or  renovated,  and  the 
millennium  introduced  by  the  personal  advent  of  » 
Christ  and  resurrection  of  the  righteous  dead.  The 
following  is  from  his  commentary  republished  at 
Philadelphia,  1811. 


260 


THE  SAINTS^  INHERITANCE. 


"  Rev.  XX.  4.  And  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand 
years.  Christ  being  descended  from  heaven,  and 
having  bound  Satan,  and  the  dead  saints  being  raised, 
the  living  ones  changed,  He  will  reign  among  them 
personally,  visibly,  and  gloriously,  and  in  the  fullest 
manner ;  all  the  an ti- Christian  powers  will  be  des- 
troyed ;  Satan  will  be  in  close  confinement ;  death, 
with  respect  to  Christ  and  his  people,  will  be  no 
more  ;  the  heavens  and  the  earth  will  be  made  new, 
and  all  things  will  be  subject  to  him ;  and  all  his 
saints  will  be  with  him,  and  they  shall  reign  with 
him  ;  they  shall  be  glorified  together  ;  they  shall  sit 
on  the  throne  with  him,  have  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness given  them,  and  possess  the  kingdom  appointed 
for  them.  The  saints  will  not  be  in  a  mortal,  but  in 
an  immortal  state  ;  the  children  of  this  resurrection 
will  be  like  angels  ;  and  this  reign  will  be  on 
earth/' 

*  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished." — Rev.  xx.  6.  Mean- 
ing not  the  dead  saints,  for  they  will  be  all  raised 
together,  but  the  wicked  dead ;  and  not  them  as 
morally  or  spiritually,  but  as  corporeally  dead  :  these 
lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  ivere  finished; 
so  that  there  will  be  such  an  exact  term  of  years 
between  the  resurrection  of  the  saints  and  the  resur- 
rection of  the  wicked  ;  nor  will  there  be  any  wicked 
living  upon  the  earth,  or  in  bodies  during  that  time ; 
for  the  wicked  dead  will  not  be  raised  with  the  saints 
at  Christ's  coming,  and  the  wicked  living  will  bo 
destroyed  in  the  conflagration  of  the  world,  and 


■A 


FINAL  RESIDENCE  OF  THE  SaINTS. 


261 


neither  of  them  shall  live  again  till  the  end  of  those 
years." 

Verse  8th.  "  And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  na- 
tions which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth, 
Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  together  to  battle  ; 
the  number  of  vs^hom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea." 

The  Gog  and  Magog,"  says  Dr.  Gill,  "  will  be  all 
the  wicked  dead,  the  rest  of  the  dead,  who  live  not 
again  till  the  thousand  years  are  ended,  when  will 
be  the  second  resurrection,  the  resurrection  of  all  the 
wicked  that  have  been  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world  ;  and  these,  with  a  posse  of  devils  under  Satan, 
will  make  up  the  Gog  and  Magog  army.  These  may 
be  said  to  be  in  the/o7/r  quarters  the  world,  since 
where  they  die  and  are  buried,  there  they  will  rise 
and  stand  upon  their  feet,  an  exceeding  great  army  ; 
and  as  they  will  die  enemies  to  Christ  and  his  peo- 
ple, they  will  rise  such." 

The  above  views  commend  themselves  to  the  heart 
uid  understanding ;  they  show  the  future  being  and 
jQabitation  of  man  to  be  realities,  instead  of  a  mys- 
terious, spiritual,  intangible  heaven,  situated  some- 
where in  an  unknown  region  of  pure  space  beyond 
the  stars,  where  we  shall  enjoy  simply  a  spiritual 
existence.    This  truth  opens  to  the  mind  a  real 

heavenly  country,"  a  firm  tangible  residence,  where 
meeting  and  taking  the  hand  of  our  friends,  we  may 
feel  the  glow  of  life,  and  know  that  they  live,  that  it 
is  not  their  spirits,  as  said  Jesus  to  his  loving  disci- 
ples, after  he  had  risen  from  the  dead  :  "  Handle  me, 
and  see,  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye  see  me 


262  THE  saints'  inheritance. 

have.''  And  looking  on  them  we  may  identify  the 
material  form,  and  behold  the  gracious  smile  of  wel- 
come in  the  countenance  of  our  living  fnends,  and 
enjoy  the  comfort  that  springs  from  the  pleasure  of 
social  intercourse  with  friends  whose  hearts  beat  in 
unison,  and  whose  thoughts  are  congenial.  Where 
the  voice  of  friends  shall  make  melody  in  holy  con- 
verse, dictated  by  pure  and  virtuous  hearts,  chastened 
by  the  same  deep  afflictions  through  which  they  have 
passed  during  probation,  and  renewed  by  redeeming 
grace  shall  mingle  in  holy  sympathy  as  arm  in  arm 
they  may  walk  among  the  literal  glories  of  our 
second  Paradise,  when  God  shall  set  his  hand  again 
to  renew  the  face  of  the  earth,  spreading  over  it  a 
vegetation  blooming  in  more  than  its  Eden  beauty. 

As  our  identity  will  remain,  so  our  attainments 
and  affections  must  continue,  and  knowing  our 
friends,  we  shall  of  course  love  them.  It  is  said  that 
selfishness  alone  dictates  the  thought  that  we  shall 
know  and  love  our  friends,  that  all  our  powers  of 
heart  and  mind  will  be  completely  absorbed  in  the 
love  and  glory  of  Christ.  No  doubt  our  love  to 
Christ,  and  admiration  of  him,  will  be  supreme.  Yet 
this  will  not  detract  anything  from  our  love  to  one 
another,  but  increase  it.  The  affections  were  not 
given  us  to  be  cultivated  here,  and  to  be  destroyed 
at  death.  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  it  is  the 
commandment,  it  is  the  law  of  heaven  ;  it  not  only 
brought  Christ  down  from  heaven,  but  in  his  hu- 
manity  he  set  us  the  example.  It  is  written,  Now 
there  was  leaning  on  Jesus^  bosom  one  of  his  disci- 


FINAL  RESIDENCE  OF  THE  SAINTS.  2G3 


pies,  whom  Jesus  loved."  Did  not  Jesus  love  all  his 
disciples  ?  Most  certainly  he  did.  But  this  disciple, 
gentle  and  lovely  in  his  character,  was  thus  highly 
honored  with  the  natural  affections  of  our  Lord^s 
pure  human  heart.  Jesus  also  loved  his  mother,  and 
he  ceased  not  to  love  her ;  even  in  his  agony  on  the 
cross  he  remembers  her,  and  provides  her  a  son  on 
whom  she  might  lean  when  he  was  gone.  "  When 
Jesus  therefore  saw  his  mother,  and  the  disciple 
standing  by  whom  he  loved,  he  saith  unto  her.  Wo- 
man, behold  thy  son ;  then  saith  he  to  the  disciple. 
Behold  thy  mother,  and  from  that  hour  that  disciple 
took  her  unto  his  own  home."  It  is  also  written, 
"  Now  Jesus  loved  Martha,  and  her  sister,  and  Laza- 
rus." Were  they  orphans?  Jesus  loved  them  never- 
theless. Honored  family !  whose  pure  hearts  had 
won  the  uncontaminated  affections  of  his  humanity. 

Lazarus  was  sick,  therefore  his  sisters  sent  unto 
him,  saying.  Lord,  behold  he  whom  thou  lovest  is 
sick.''  His  heart  was  moved  in  tenderness  with  these 
sisters  in  their  affliction,  and  at  their  brother's  grave 
when  they  wept,  "  Jesus  wept."  Honor  and  glory 
be  ascribed  to  His  name.  He  still  retains  the  same 
sympathizing  heart!  therefore  we  have  a  merciful 
High  Priest,  who  can  be  touched  with  the  feelings  of 
\)ur  infirmities.  Does  his  weeping  appear  a  weak- 
ness to  you?  It  is  my  joy  and  my  glory.  In  the 
midst  of  his  tears,  as  they  flow  with  these  afflicted 
sisters,  his  divinity  shines  the  brighter,  while  he 
speaks  to  the  dead,  not  in  the  name  of  another,  but 
with  authority,  he  says,  "  Lazarus  come  forth,"  and 


264 


THE  saints'  inheritance. 


the  dead  hears  his  voice,  the  grave  yields  its  victim, 
the  brother  lives,  and  is  restored  to  the  sisters,  the 
tears  are  wiped  away,  and  again  they  are  permitted 
in  union,  to  enjoy  the  society  of  their  meek  and  sym- 
pathizing, yet  great  and  glorious  Friend,  who  had 
often  graced  their  humble  cottage  with  his  presence. 
Surely  in  the  resurrection  state  the  affections  shall 
live  and  increase  as  the  mind  expands,  while  the  re- 
deemed made  beautiful  and  lovely  in  the  likeness  of 
their  glorious  Lord,  by  the  affections  shall  be  for 
ever  united  in  one  common  bond  of  brotherhood, 
when  the  Great  Restorer  shall,  in  the  plenitude  of 
his  grace,  shed  universal  beauty  and  happiness 
throughout  a  renovated  world,  and  "  all  the  earth 
shall  be  filled  wii^i  the  glory  of  the  Lord.'' 


THE  BND. 


A  New  and  Invaluable  Work,  Just  Published  and 
to  be  had  of  Bpoksellers  generally. 

THE  SAINTS'  INHERITANCE; 

OR, 

THE  WORLD  TO  COME. 

Price^  jplain,  $1  00 ;  Gilt^  $1  37J. 

This  Work  is  well  calculated  to  awaken  the  interest 
of  the  soul  and  to  engage  all  the  powers  of  the  heart 
and  mind  in  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  our^  only 
guide  to  a  glorious  immortality. 

It  teaches  that  the  earth,  instead  of  being  annihilated 
at  the  consummation  which  awaits  it,  will  be  restored  and 
become  far  more  glorious  than  in  its  Eden  state,  when 
God  shall  in  the  plenitude  of  his  grace  crown  his  ran- 
somed ones  with  eternal  glory  and  gladness,  and  shed 
universal  and  unfading  beauty  over  the  renovated  world, 
making  it  the  heritage  of  the  people  of  God,  under  the 
righteous  reign  of  the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from 
Heaven. 


2 


NOTICES. 

The  following  notices  will  show  the  estimate  placed 
upon  the  work  by  clergymen  of  diflferent  denomina 
tions  : — 

From  Rev.  F.  De  W.  Ward,  late  Missionary  from  India,  author 
of  "  India  and  the  Hindoos,"  and  of  the  "  Christian  Gift,"  Pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Geneseo,  N.  Y.  Copied  from  the 
Livingston  Republican, 

"  A  New  and  Important  Volume.— Neither  the  intellect  nor 
piety  of  that  person  is  at  all  to  be  envied  who  can  refrain  from 
thoughtful  meditation  upon  questions  like  these :  What  is  to  be- 
come of  this  vast  globe  ?   Is  it  literally  to  be  dissolved,  and 

*  Like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision 
Leave  not  a  rack  behind  ?' 

Is  it  to  be  the  victim  of  some  future  explosion  which  shall  send  its 
mighty  masses  hurling  through  space  to  fall  upon  other  planets 
like  the  aerolites  upon  our  own  ?  Or  is  it  to  be  made  over  and 
become  as  the  Garden  of  the  Lord,  a  fit  abode  for  man  to  pass  an 
immortality  of  blessedness  ?  Again :  What  is  to  be  the  winding 
up  of  earth's  history  ?  Are  all  mankind  to  be  put  in  possession 
of  the  sacred  volume,  and  thus  become,  individually,  perfect  in 
knowledge,  love,  purity,  and  every  heavenly  grace ;  or  are  multi- 
tudes to  be  overwhelmed  with  destruction  by  an  Almighty  arm, 
and  thus  the  victory  be  achieved  ?  Again :  Is  our  Lord  to  revisit 
our  earth  in  person  with  an  union  of  majestic  splendor  and  glory 
only  equalled  by  the  humiliation  and  distress  which  attended  his 
former  mission  ?  Again  :  What  mean  the  Scriptures  by  the  mil- 
lennium— the  first  and  second  resurrection — the  battle  of  Gog  and 
Magog — the  ministry  of  angels,  and  the  extent  of  the  Jewish 
covenants  ?  These  are  questions  of  admitted  interest,  and  well 
merit  a  thoughtful  consideration.  To  say  '  we  do  not  know,'  is  a 
ready  mode  of  reply,  but  surely  should  not  satisfy  the  Christiao 
whose  aim  should  be  intelligence  as  well  as  piety.  This  may  bo 
his  decision,  but  it  should  be  arrived  at  considerately.  'Tha 
World  to  Come'  has  for  its  aim  to  discuss  these  topics.  The  work 
is  written  with  an  energy  of  style,  a  command  of  Scripture  text,  9 
strength  of  argument,  and  a  general  freshness  and  vigor  which  do 
great  credit  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  author,  and  can  but  com 
mand  the  respect  and  interest  of  the  thoughtful  and  pious  reader 


3 


.  .  .  We  venture  to  say  that  no  one  can  rise  from  its  perusal 
without  a  consciousness  of  personal  interest  and  benefit.  The 
book  will  lead  to  the  stiidy  of  the  Bible,  and  thus  an  end  will  be 
secured  which  has  scarcely  a  second  for  importance  within  the  cir- 
cle of  human  obligations.  ,  .  .  We  take  pleasure  m  recommend- 
ing its  purchase  and  candid  study ;  for  studied  it  must  be,  in  order 
to  be  understood  and  appreciated." 


The  following  concise,  yet  full,  endorsement  of  the 
book  is  from  that  great  and  good  man,  the  learned  Scotch 
divine,  Rev.  John  Gumming,  D.D.,  F.R.S.E.,  Minister 
of  Crown  Court,  London,  in  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  F.  De 
W.  Ward.   He  writes  2 

7  Montague  Place,  > 
Russell  Sq.,  July  10.  J 

Dear  Sir     I  have  read  the  work  of  Mr.  Hill,  "  The  World  to 
Come,"  with  great  pleasure.    Its  spirit  and  sentiments  and  con- 
clusion please  me  very  much ;  and  pray  present  my  compliments 
to  him,  and  thank  him  for  sending  me  a  copy. 
Believe  me. 

Yours,  very  sincerely, 

John  Gumming. 

From  Rev.  0.  I.  Sprague,  Pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  Mount  Morris,  N.  Y.  Copied  from  the  Living- 
Stan  Union, 

"  Mr.  Editor — Sir :  Permit  me  through  your  paper  to  call  atten- 
tion to  a  recent  work,  entitled  *  The  Saints'  Inheritance ;  or,  The 
World  to  Come.'  It  is,  in  my  own  judgment,  an  important  work 
for  the  times.  While  the  greater  portion  of  the  Christian  world 
are  under  the  strange  fantasy  that  the  Jews  are  to  be  literally 
restored  to  Palestine ;  that  the  Church  must  enjoy,  in  this  mortal 
state,  a  thousand  years'  Millennium ;  and,  while  others  are  con- 
fused in  view  of  the  many  facts  and  appearances  adverse  to  such 
opinion,  this  work,  if  thoroughly  considered,  will  serve  to  correct 
the  error  on  the  one  hand,  and  so  to  enlighten  the  mind  on  the 
other,  as  to  lead  out  of  darkness,  and  settle  ihe  perplexity  of  sphit 
of  those  who  are  vacillating  amidst  conflicting  \iews. 

"  The  book,  I  think,  pre-eminently  a  work  of  rich  biblical  illus- 


4 


tration,  containing  brief,  clear,  and  forcible  argument,  confirmatory 
of  the  positions  taken,  and  by  abundant  scripture  proofs  rendering 
them  impregnable.  As  intimated  by  the  writer,  it  is  too  true,  that 
much  of  the  teaching  of  the  present  day  tends  to  flatter  vain  hopes, 
and  to  foster  the  conception  of  building  up  an  estabUshment  more 
pompous  and  earth-made  glorious,  than  the  Jew,  in  his  wildest 
speculation  ever  conjectured.  This  work  is  well  designed  to  re- 
move from  the  vision  of  the  church  this  illusion,  and  to  restore  in 
the  sentiments  of  her  devout  children  the  important  and  healthful 
truths  taught  by  our  Lord,  that, '  in  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribu- 
lation,' and  that '  The  wheat  and  the  tares  shall  grow  together  un- 
til the  harvest.' 

"  It  is  a  work  which  should  interest  every  one,  especially  Chris- 
tians— all  should  read  and  candidly  ponder  its  truths.  It  presents 
a  tangible  and  consistent  view  of  the  nature  and  character  of 
'  The  Saints'  Inheritance,'  an  interesting  chain  of  Bible  history, 
as  well  as  rich  sentiment,  and  will  incite  more  earnest  action 
for  a  world's  salvation. 

«0.  1.  Sprague." 


Letter  to  the  author,  from  C.  L.  Bacon,  A.M.,  Pastor  of 
Baptist  Church,  Trumansburg,  N,  Y. 

"  Trumansburg,  April  1,  1853. 

"  Rev.  H.  F.  Hill  : — ^Dear  Sir :  I  thank  you  for  a  copy  of  your 
work,  entitled  '  The  Saints'  Inheritance  ;  or.  The  World  to  Come.' 
The  topics  discussed  are  of  the  first  importance  to  every  human 
being,  for  to  us  all  there  is  '  a  world  to  come.'  In  the  midst  of  so 
many  works  as  this  age  is  producing,  which  attempt  to  show  the 
philosophy  of  religion,  it  is  refreshing  to  find  a  work  which  mani- 
fests a  simple  faith  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  This  is  a  striking 
feature  in  your  book,  and  to  me  it  is  a  most  grateful  one. 

"The  eminently  Scriptural  views  of  the  great  facts  in  the 
future  history  of  Redemption,  which  your  chapters  furnish,  are 
cheering  to  the  heart  of  the  Christian,  and  instructive  to  all  who 
will  carefully  read  them.  I  devoutly  pray  that  the  great  object 
which  you  had  in  view  in  writing  this  work  may  be  accomplished. 

"  Ever  yours, 

**C.  L.  Bacon." 


b 


The  Rev.  Lyman  Stilson,  late  missionary  from  Burmah, 
flays : — 

"  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  I  believe  the  work  calcu- 
lated to  do  much  good,  especially  in  leading  many  Christians  to  a 
more  careful  perusal  of  the  word  of  God." 


James  S.  White,  Esq.,  Lake  Providence,  La.,  says  : — 

"I  am  well  pleased  with  the  book,  and  had  I  the  means,  I 
would  place  it  in  the  hands  of  every  minister  in  the  United 
States." 


Rev.  J.  Chapman,  Pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  Groveland,  N.  Y.,  says  : — 

"  The  author  has  selected  for  his  theme  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant subjects  in  the  entire  range  of  revealed  truth — a  subject,  how- 
ever, on  which,  with  many,  there  is  much  darkness  and  confusion 
of  mind. 

"  The  author,  in  a  clear,  concise,  and  forcible  manner,  brings  to 
bear  on  his  subject  an  abundance  of  Scriptural  argument.  The 
unprejudiced  inquirer  after  the  truth  cannot  fail  to  derive  much 
pleasure  and  profit  from  the  perusal  of  its  pages. 

"  I  most  cheerfully  endorse  the  theological  view  of  the  author, 
and  recommend  his  book  as  one,  the  practical  tendency  of  which 
must  lead  to  a  more  careful  searching  and  love  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures, 

"J.  Chapman." 


The  Editor  of  the  Livingston  Republican  says  — 

"  The  subject  is  one  of  surpassing  interest  and  importance,  and 
gives  abundant  evidence  of  a  knowledge  of  Scripture,  and  a  depth 
of  thought  on  the  part  of  the  writer  that  can  but  prove  interest* 
ing." 


6 


From  Rev.  J.  Watts,  Pastor  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Geneseo,  N.  Y.  Copied  from  the  Northern  Christian  Ad- 
vocate^ Auburn,  N.  Y. 

The  Saints'  Inheritance ;  or,  The  World  to  Come. — This  work 
evinces  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  and  a  firm  belief 
in  its  truth.  Its  style  is  attractive  and  vigorous,  and  it  breathes 
throughout  a  spirit  of  earnest  piety.  Its  arguments  are  not  of  the 
abstract,  metaphysical  kind,  but  drawn  from  the  great  fountain  of 
truth,  the  oracles  of  God. 

"  The  doctrine  for  which  the  author  contends,  that  the  earth 
will  not  be  annihilated  by  the  general  conflagration,  but  purified 
and  restored  to  its  pristine  beauty  and  glory,  and  become  the  ever- 
lasting abode  of  the  saints,  cannot  fail  to  intensely  interest  every 
reflecting  mind.  There  is  inspiration  in  the  thought  that  the  ulti- 
mate and  eternal  abode  of  the  saints  will  not  be  a  land  of  '  dim- 
ness and  mystery  beyond  all  comprehension,'  but  '  that  there  will 
be  beauty  to  delight  the  eye,  and  music  to  regale  the  ear,  and  the 
comforts  that  spring  from  all  the  charities  of  intercourse  between 
man  and  man,  holding  converse  as  they  do  now  on  earth,  and 
gladdening  each  other  with  the  benignant  smiles  that  play  on  the 
human  countenance,  or  the  accents  of  kindness  that  fall  in  soft 
and  soothing  melody  from  the  human  voice,' — that  the  earth  in- 
stead of  being  annihilated  by  the  conflagration  which  awaits  it» 
will  be  by  him  who  called  it  into  being  '  in  the  beginning,' 

•  'renewed,  improved 

With  fertile  vale,  and  wood  of  fertile  bough  ; 
And  streams  of  milk  and  honey,  flowing  song ; 
And  mountains  cinctured  with  perpetual  green ; 
In  clime  and  season  fruitful  as  at  first, 
When  Adam  woke,  unfallen  in  Paradise, 
And  God  shall  from  the  fount  of  native  lights 
A  handful  take  of  beams,  and  clothe  the  sun 
Again  in  glory ;  and  send  forth  the  moon 
To  borrow  thence  her  wonted  rays,  and  lead 
Her  stars,  the  virgin  daughters  of  the  sky.' 

I  "  The  book  deserves,  and  we  hope  will  receive  a  large  circula- 
tion. 

"J.  Watts." 


The  Rev.  Stephen  H.  Tyng,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  eudoi-set 


7 


the  leading  sentiments  of  the  book,  as  seen  in  the  following 
letter  to  the  author : — 

"  New  York,  September  7,  1854. 

'*  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir  : — have  received  your  volume  and  read 
it  with  attention.  I  am  favorably  impressed  with  its  general 
character,  though  I  could  not  adopt  all  its  particular  conclusions. 
In  the  great  view  of  the  Saviour's  personal  reign,  on  a  regenerated 
earth,  as  the  final  and  everlasting  abode  of  his  redeemed,  I  rest 
with  confidence  and  delight.  I  trust  he  will  be  pleased  to  own 
and  bless  your  efforts  to  make  known  his  truth  for  his  own  glory. 

"I  am,  with  Christian  regard, 

"  Your  friend  and  brother, 

"Stephen  H.  Tyng." 


From  B.  R.  Swick,  Pastor  Baptist  Church,  York,  N.  Y. 

"  York,  December  17,  1853. 

"  I  have  read  '  The  Saints'  Inheritance ;  or,  the  World  to 
Come,'  and  am  more  than  willing  to  commend  its  perusal  to 
others.  When  I  commenced  reading  it,  I  entertained  feelings  of 
sufficient  prejudice  to  make  me  cautiously  examine  each  senti- 
ment that  was  advanced;  but  as  I  read  on,  my  prejudices  softened 
into  approval,  as  I  found  that  the  doctrines  advanced  were  in  keep- 
ing with  the  Scriptures,  and  written  in  a  style  becoming  the 
Christian.  The  whole  work  is  so  profusely  interspersed  with 
quotations  from  the  great  standard  of  appeal,  that  if  the  sentiments 
were  not  true,  it  would  not  be  possible,  I  think,  to  form  what  it 
now  seems  to  be — an  unbroken  chaki.  I  was  led  to  ask  myself, 
whether  a  chain  containing  so  many  golden  links  of  truth  could  be 
formed,  and  be  so  happily  joined  together  by  those  links,  and  yet 
fail  to  be  itself  a  chain  of  truth  ?  Reason  and  judgment  answered, 
*  these  things  that  are  written  are  words  of  truth.*  I  am,  indeed, 
happy  to  find  one  book  written  in  this  age,  whioh  draws  all  its  ar- 
guments and  conclusions  from  the  word  of  God ;  and  this,  in  my 
judgment,  accounts  for  the  kind  spirit  which  is  breathed  through- 
out the  entire  work.  T  deem  the  book  well  adapted  to  the  present 
age,  and  admirably  calculated  to  comfort  the  saints  and  awake 
them  to  duty. 

"  May  the  Lord  bless  the  book,  to  the  joy  of  many  hearts. 

"B.  R.  Swick." 


8 


From  the  Rev.  F.  D.  Simonds,  editor  of  the  California  Chris^ 
tian  Advocate  :— 

"  Having  carefully  read  the  *  World  to  Come,'  we  most  heartily 
commend  it  as  a  candid  and  earnest  work  on  the  subject  of  Christ's 
Kingdom  in  this  world.  The  principal  argument  is  to  show  that 
this  earth,  made  -new  or  transformed  by  fire,  will  become  the  place 
of  the  saints'  inheritance,  where  with  raised  and  glorified  bodies 
they  will  dwell  for  ever  with  Christ.  It  is  a  theme  which  involves 
the  highest  questions  of  scriptural  interpretation,  and  is  treated 
with  sober  sense  and  judgment,  which  often  raises  the  style  to 
true  eloquence  and  power ;  and  there  are  no  speculations  indulged. 
The  work  will  do  good." 


Rev.  Dr.  Poor  writes  from  Ceylon  in  a  letter  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Ward : 

"  I  have  read  the  book  throvgli  with  much  interest.  I  am  happy 
to  find  the  writer  so  well  grounded  in  what  I  have  long  regarded 
the  primary  and  fundamental  points  on  this  whole  subject,  viz : 
That  the  second  advent,  according  to  the  scriptures,  is  to  take 
place  at  the  inirodiiclion  or  commencement  of  the  millennium, 
rather  than  its  termination ;  and  that  Christ  is  coming  to  redeem 
the  earth,  to  reign  during  a  thousand  years.  In  all  this  part  of 
the  subject  the  writer  has  done  well.  The  6th  and  12th  chapters 
are  especially  admirable.  Please  to  present  Mr.  Hill  my  Christian 
salutations  and  best  wishes." 


^g'  Any  person  who  will  send  by  mail  seventy-five 
cents  in  cash  or  postage  stamps  to  the  author,  H.  F.  Hill, 
Corning,  N.  Y.,  shall  receive  the  book  by  mail,  postage 
paid. 


aq;  JO  .Cjo;sijj  po^ 
'  sSuipuiq  snouBA 


i 


